op·era
ˈä-p(ə-)rə 
Southern also ˈä-prē
1
: a drama set to music and made up of vocal pieces with orchestral accompaniment and orchestral overtures (see overture entry 1 sense 2) and interludes (see interlude sense 2)
2
: the score (see score entry 1 sense 6) of a musical drama
The composer finished the opera in just six weeks.
3
: the performance of an opera
The opera was delayed a half hour due to technical difficulties.
also
: a house where operas are performed
We'll meet you at the opera at 7 p.m.
Examples of opera in a Sentence
Noun
I am going to an opera tonight.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Her mother is an opera singer, her father is a conductor and composer responsible for commissioning new, avant-garde works in Iceland.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Ideally, an opera is born when a composer stumbles on an emotion that the original medium has left only partially expressed, one that will blossom into a musical idea.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
And then came 2004, and a Red Sox comeback for the ages in the ALCS that has inspired books, documentaries, and who knows, maybe an opera or two.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opera
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Noun
Warren hosted dinner parties in the residence, located at the base of Coit Tower, that attracted movie stars, best-selling authors, opera divas, aristocrats, photographers and composers.
—David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Her mother is an opera singer, her father is a conductor and composer responsible for commissioning new, avant-garde works in Iceland.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Ideally, an opera is born when a composer stumbles on an emotion that the original medium has left only partially expressed, one that will blossom into a musical idea.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
And then came 2004, and a Red Sox comeback for the ages in the ALCS that has inspired books, documentaries, and who knows, maybe an opera or two.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opera
Cite this Entry
“Opera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opera. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
opera
1 of 2plural of opus
opera
2 of 2 noun
op·era
ˈäp-(ə-)rə
1
: a play in which usually the entire text is sung with orchestral accompaniment
2
: the performance of an opera
operatic
adjective
ˌäp-ə-ˈrat-ik
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