call-and-response
noun
call-and-re·sponse
ˌkȯl-ən(d)-ri-ˈspän(t)s 
: a statement quickly followed by an answering statement
also
: a musical phrase in which the first and often solo part is answered by a second and often ensemble part
Examples of call-and-response in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There’s a Light By 1980, ticket buyers were doing the time warp, again, at call-and-response screenings.
—
Joe Lynch, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2025
There's lip-syncing and dancing as the audience interacts with the film through call-and-response lines and the use of props.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
The firefighter showed off his singing skills in a call-and-response style as the ladies finished the sentence to the song’s lyrics.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Indeed, there is an element of call-and-response to the We Do Not Care Club, which Sanders herself has, consciously or not, encouraged.
—Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for call-and-response
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Joe Lynch, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2025
There's lip-syncing and dancing as the audience interacts with the film through call-and-response lines and the use of props.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
The firefighter showed off his singing skills in a call-and-response style as the ladies finished the sentence to the song’s lyrics.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Indeed, there is an element of call-and-response to the We Do Not Care Club, which Sanders herself has, consciously or not, encouraged.
—Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for call-and-response
Cite this Entry
“Call-and-response.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call-and-response. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share