tap dance

noun

1

: a step dance tapped out audibly by means of shoes with hard soles or soles and heels to which taps have been added

2

: something suggesting a tap dance

especially : an action or discourse intended to rationalize or distract

does a clever tap dance to explain

—Campbell Geeslin

tap-dance

ˈtap-ˌdan(t)s 

intransitive verb

tap dancer noun

tap dancing noun

Examples of tap dance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the new staging the character of Tristan is an East Londoner — as is Essiedu – who woos Connie with dance moves inspired by rappers Childish Gambino and Tyler, the Creator, while original Tristan performed an Irish tap dance. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2024

There’s a showstopping sequence in the first act in which Clyde Alves, as Jimmy’s Italian best friend, Tommy, leads a tap dance atop the steel beams of a skyscraper under construction. —Vulture, 26 Apr. 2023

Both brothers were key figures in the revival of tap dancing through their teaching, performing and personal connection to greats of the past. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2024

In the 1980s, this relationship between jazz music and tap dance began resurfacing in public ways across New York and Los Angeles. —Brynn Shiovitz, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2023

Trump's tap dance — touting Operation Warp Speed's success at developing vaccines while criticizing vaccine use — is emblematic of how pandemic politics are intensifying broader vaccine politics. —Darius Tahir, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2023

Chris Evans can tap dance The Sexiest Man Alive of 2022 revealed his fancy footwork while promoting his 2017 film Gifted. —Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023

During their rise, the kids started learning other talents, with Joaquin becoming a skilled breakdancer and River learning to tap dance. —Alex Gurley, Peoplemag, 24 Oct. 2023

The work celebrates the joy, depth, and virtuosity of Black dance and music, exploring the lineage of tap dance and its connections to other Afro-Diasporic forms. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 12 July 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tap dance

noun

: a dance tapped out loudly by means of shoes to which taps have been added

tap-dance verb

tap dancer noun

tap dancing noun