fugue

noun

ˈfyüg 

1

a

: a musical composition in which one or two themes are repeated or imitated by successively entering voices and contrapuntally developed in a continuous interweaving of the voice parts

The organist played a four-voiced fugue.

b

: something that resembles a fugue especially in interweaving repetitive elements

a story that … is as rich and multilayered as a fugue

—Heather Vogel Frederick

2

: a disturbed state of consciousness in which the one affected seems to perform acts in full awareness but upon recovery cannot recollect the acts performed

fugue verb

fuguist

ˈfyü-gist 

noun

Did you know?

Fugue and Bach

Bach and Handel composed many fugues for harpsichord and organ in which the various parts (or voices) seem to flee from and chase each other in an intricate dance. Each part, after it has stated the theme or melody, apparently flees from the next part, which takes up the same theme and sets off in pursuit. Simple rounds such as "Three Blind Mice" or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" could be called fugues for children, but a true fugue can be long and extremely complex.

Examples of fugue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

So there are four different iterations where things in that piece split off and fugue. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025

The effect of microbetting, if not its intent, is to induce a fugue state that keeps users in action. —Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2025

Anything that moves in the imagistic pile-on of Sideways Thought only does so in our eyes, differently in every eye, but always here and now, in this space and at this time—a singular experience in which invitation to deep reflection collides with the invocation of fugue states. —Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2025

Simone goes nonverbal and enters a sort of fugue state to cope. —Claire Franken, TVLine, 24 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably from Italian fuga flight, fugue, from Latin, flight, from fugere

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for fugue

• moog

Kids Definition

fugue

noun

ˈfyüg 

: a musical composition in which themes are repeated in complex patterns

fugal

ˈfyü-gəl

adjective

Medical Definition

fugue

noun

ˈfyüg 

: a disturbed state of consciousness in which the one affected seems to perform acts in full awareness but upon recovery cannot recollect them