chant

verb \ ˈchant \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Examples: chant in a Sentence

Definition of chant

chanted; chanting; chants

intransitive verb

1 : to make melodic sounds with the voice; especially : to sing a chant

2 : to recite something in a monotonous repetitive tone

protesters were chanting outside

transitive verb

1 : to utter as in chanting

2 : to celebrate or praise in song or chant

See chant defined for English-language learners

See chant defined for kids

Examples of chant in a Sentence

The crowd began chanting her name.
They chanted “Sara, Sara” until she came back on stage.
Protesters were chanting outside the governor's home.
They were chanting in Arabic.
Priests chanted the Catholic Mass in Latin.

Recent Examples of chant from the Web

Panama Panama chanting at the World Cup appears as though it will be accompanied by an infectious drum beat, unleashing the country's fans to the rest of the planet for the first time.

— SI.com, "9 of the Best Football Chants at the World Cup," 18 June 2018
Her parents were outside the room chanting his prayers at the time, police said.

— kathleen joyce, Fox News, "Indian guru with millions of followers sentenced in rape of teen girl who sought relief from 'ghostly powers'," 26 Apr. 2018
Cosby seemed startled by the commotion as protesters chanted at him, but he was not touched and is uninjured.

— crimesider staff, CBS News, "Bill Cosby trial: Topless protester charges towards comedian as retrial begins," 9 Apr. 2018
Cosby seemed startled by the commotion as a half-dozen protesters chanted at him.

— michael r. sisak, BostonGlobe.com, "Protester charges, gets within feet of Bill Cosby, as retrial begins," 9 Apr. 2018
Cosby seemed startled when the woman jumped a barricade while a small group of protesters chanted at him in support of his accuser, Andrea Costand.

— joseph a. gambardello, Philly.com, "Topless protester rushes Bill Cosby outside courthouse on first day of retrial," 9 Apr. 2018
Israel flags were burned and anti-Semitic slogans chanted at a December 2017 rally in Berlin that was originally organized to protest Donald Trump's decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

— bojan pancevski, WSJ, "Germany Struggles With an Unfamiliar Form of Anti-Semitism," 1 Apr. 2018
What do Ohio teens chanting slurs at black and Asian high school athletes have in common with the anti-immigrant fanaticism that intensified with the president’s lie about a border agent’s death?

— otis r. taylor jr., San Francisco Chronicle, "This Week in White Supremacy tracks battle for racial justice," 19 Feb. 2018
Jackson left the stage to the crowd chanting her name.

— lynsey eidell, Glamour, "See Janet Jackson's Powerful 2018 Billboard Music Awards Speech and Performance," 20 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of chant

Middle English chaunten, from Anglo-French chanter, from Latin cantare, frequentative of canere to sing; akin to Old English hana rooster, Old Irish canid he sings

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

chant Synonyms

Synonyms

carol, descant, sing, vocalize;

serenade;

chant

noun

Definition of chant

1 : song 1

2 a : plainsong

b : a rhythmic monotonous utterance or song

c : a composition for chanting

See chant defined for English-language learners

Examples of chant in a Sentence

Our chant was “Peace now, peace now!”.
Chant is often used as a form of meditation and prayer.

Recent Examples of chant from the Web

Japan There is something beautifully rhythmic about the 'Nippon Ole' chant, sung by Japanese supporters to cheer on their national team.

— SI.com, "9 of the Best Football Chants at the World Cup," 18 June 2018
Iceland fans—particularly Tólfan, the team's official supporter club—waved Icelandic flags and performed national claps and chants.

— National Geographic, "Why the Iceland National Team Has So Many Polish Fans," 14 June 2018
Fans like to know that many of the players can understand their chants, unlike those foreigners or people from other parts of China.

— The Economist, "A Chinese football club seeks to be the new Barcelona," 17 May 2018
Nothing is predictable: A Latin chant by Hildegard von Bingen is followed by Ms. Sadovska’s tight harmonies vocalized in a deliberately harsh, Eastern European folk style.

— heidi waleson, WSJ, "An Opera Festival’s Local Focus," 16 Apr. 2018
The chants and cheers in the ballroom turned to gasps and screams.

— robert mitchell, Washington Post, "The night Bobby Kennedy was shot: The awful scene a Post reporter witnessed," 5 June 2018
As election season approaches, chants about the hollowed-out middle class predictably grow louder.

— andy kessler, WSJ, "The Canard About Falling Incomes," 3 June 2018
The richness of the texture, the evocative quality of the writing, along with the use of chant between movements makes it a truly beautiful experience.

— patrick neas, kansascity, "KC Symphony takes on a user-friendly adaptation of Wagner’s epic Ring Cycle | The Kansas City Star," 24 May 2018
Kids and adults joined as parade marchers led them through several chants.

— marco santana, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Puerto Rican parade a brief reprieve for community rocked by Hurricane Maria," 28 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of chant

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, refrain, riff, segue

CHANT Defined for English Language Learners

chant

verb

Definition of chant for English Language Learners

: to say (a word or phrase) many times in a rhythmic way usually loudly and with other people
: to sing words and especially religious prayers by using a small number of musical notes that are repeated many times

chant

noun

Definition of chant for English Language Learners

: a word or phrase that is repeated in a rhythmic way usually loudly and by a group of people
: a kind of singing using a small number of musical notes that are repeated many times