1
a
: a narrative composition in rhythmic verse suitable for singing
a ballad about King Arthur
b
: an art song accompanying a traditional ballad
2
: a simple song : air
3
: a popular song
especially
: a slow romantic or sentimental song
a ballad they danced to at their wedding reception
Examples of ballad in a Sentence
a ballad about King Arthur
a haunting ballad about lost love and loneliness
Recent Examples on the Web
Rapp then walked onstage and danced with them before launching into her powerhouse set full of hits and ballads.
—
Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2024
In a April 15 video taken by his sister Mary McCartney, James dances in front of the night sky to the ballad.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 15 Apr. 2024
The queens deliver their 'herstory' on stage at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts with powerhouse pop performances, sick beats, and soaring ballads.
—Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024
Traditional Chechen music includes instrumental songs and epic ballads, according to the Guardian.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024
From infectious bops to poignant ballads, each track boasted a unique country twist, taking listeners on a diverse musical odyssey across its 27-song roster.
—Alex Kessler, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2024
The query leads into an emotional acoustic ballad that sees Beyoncé celebrating her children, twins Rumi and Sir and 12-year-old Blue Ivy.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2024
The national anthem was turned into an emotional ballad by Josh Groban.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
An unlikely love story between a high school student and a med student in this romantic comedy inspired by a 1980s rock ballad.
—Liz Rothaus Betrand, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2024
Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2024
In a April 15 video taken by his sister Mary McCartney, James dances in front of the night sky to the ballad.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 15 Apr. 2024
The queens deliver their 'herstory' on stage at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts with powerhouse pop performances, sick beats, and soaring ballads.
—Kathryn Gregory, The Courier-Journal, 10 Apr. 2024
Traditional Chechen music includes instrumental songs and epic ballads, according to the Guardian.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024
From infectious bops to poignant ballads, each track boasted a unique country twist, taking listeners on a diverse musical odyssey across its 27-song roster.
—Alex Kessler, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2024
The query leads into an emotional acoustic ballad that sees Beyoncé celebrating her children, twins Rumi and Sir and 12-year-old Blue Ivy.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2024
The national anthem was turned into an emotional ballad by Josh Groban.
—Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
An unlikely love story between a high school student and a med student in this romantic comedy inspired by a 1980s rock ballad.
—Liz Rothaus Betrand, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ballad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ballad
Cite this Entry
“Ballad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballad. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ballad
noun
bal·lad
ˈbal-əd 
1
: a poem that tells a story of adventure, of romance, or of a hero, that is suitable for singing, and that usually has stanzas of four lines with a rhyme on the second and fourth lines
2
: a simple song
3
: a usually slow or sentimental popular song
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