chant

verb \ ˈchant \

|Updated on: 16 Aug 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

Thousands of Poles took to the streets Tuesday night in noisy protests around the country, chanting, holding candles and waving flags.

— natalia ojewska, WSJ, "Polish Chief Justice Defies Government’s Supreme Court Overhaul," 4 July 2018
These traditions are still alive today, evident in elaborate headdresses and costumes, chanting, and the pulsing rhythms of steel drums.

— kristin braswell, Vogue, "The Caribbean Carnivals You Don’t Want to Miss This Summer," 24 June 2018
Her friends stood beside her draped in the Belgium flag and started chanting the country’s name up until the first score of the game, which came in the 55th minute when Samuel Umtiti, a center back, put France up with a header.

— sarah ravani, SFChronicle.com, "French connection: Fans flock to San Francisco’s World Cup watch party," 10 July 2018
The demonstration — counted among many held Wednesday in cities across the country, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston — began in downtown San Diego around 4:30 p.m. with about 80 people marching and chanting in front of the Westin.

— gary warth, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Hotel workers march for better pay," 27 June 2018
As Chestnut pulled ahead in this year’s contest, the crowd took up chanting his name.

— alejandro de la garza, Time, "Joey Chestnut Just Set Another Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog-Eating Contest Record," 4 July 2018
On Neruda’s return to his country in 1939, with Europe falling to another kind of fascism, he was greeted on the docks by grateful refugees chanting his name.

— benjamin kunkel, The New Republic, "The partisan world of Pablo Neruda," 2 July 2018
Knicks fans had been chanting Porter’s name for two picks after the Chicago Bulls, a team many thought would select Porter, picked Duke’s Wendell Carter with the No.

— alex schiffer, kansascity, "Inside Michael Porter Jr.’s long wait at the NBA Draft," 22 June 2018
Following the third goal, a late game score on a free kick, fans huddled by the projector and chanted Ronaldo’s name.

— shawn mcfarland, courant.com, "Portuguese Club Of Hartford Enjoys World Cup Viewing Party In New Britain," 17 June 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

NEW! Time Traveler

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

Many pointed to Russia's notorious anti-gay legislation and to previous incidents involving Russian fans engaging in racist chants at matches.

— scott roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, "World Cup: Broadcasters Told to Stop Zooming in on 'Hot Women' During Games," 12 July 2018
Toward the end of Niermann’s event, those coming for the hot dogs joined in the chants.

— edward mckinley, kansascity, "KC Health Department puts the kibosh (kielbasa?) on sausage party outside Pence event," 11 July 2018
That wasn't the only throwback moment at the rally, featuring a packed arena festooned with American flags and approximately 8,000 people responding in chants to many of Trump's cues.

— jill colvin and jonathan lemire, chicagotribune.com, "At raucous rally, Trump touts hawkish immigration plans," 20 June 2018
Yamile Martinez, an 18-year-old student at Metro Tech, carried a megaphone and led her classmates in chants.

— dustin gardiner, azcentral, "Arizona students prepare to occupying Capitol buildings in 'die-in'," 20 Apr. 2018
In a mortifying sprinkling of topicality, the movie — set in summer 2016 — shows John, a lifelong Democratic voter, unwittingly joining in the chants at a rally for Donald Trump.

— ben kenigsberg, New York Times, "Review: On the Road for a Last Taste of Freedom in ‘The Leisure Seeker’," 8 Mar. 2018
In Clapham Junction, an area of south London, a particularly rowdy fan led crowds in chants before leaping onto (and falling through) the roof of a bus stop.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "England’s Unfamiliar Emotion: Hope," 10 July 2018
Her ancestors hid out there when other Diné (Navajo) people were forced into internment, and many of the songs and healing chants of her people come directly from the canyon.

— krista langlois, Outside Online, "Sacred Native American Sites Are Not Your Playgrounds," 5 July 2018
The song’s adaptability into a chant also benefits from White’s decision not to include a chorus.

— brian mccollum, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit's global sports anthem: The White Stripes' 'Seven Nation Army'," 29 June 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