country music

noun

: music derived from or imitating the folk style of the Southern U.S. or of the Western cowboy
especially : popular vocal music characterized by simple harmonies, accompaniment by stringed instruments (such as guitar, fiddle, banjo, and pedal steel), repeated choruses, and often narrative lyrics

called also country, country and western

Examples of country music in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But before there was ’80s mall queen and pop star Tiffany, there was young Tiffany Darwish, who almost embarked on a career in country music before the age of 10. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 21 Nov. 2023 Her father was a big fan of country music who constantly played records by Hank Williams, Tammy Wynette and Little Jimmy Dickens. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Nov. 2023 Filmed in Nashville in front of a live studio audience, CMA Country Christmas will showcase performances of festive classics from some of country music’s biggest stars. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 15 Nov. 2023 The 35th Anniversary World Tour will honor the album’s more than three decades of influence in shaping country music’s sonic landscape. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 14 Nov. 2023 No doubt its title is a throwback to a different era in country music: Price originally released the song in 1958. Nancy Kruh, Peoplemag, 11 Nov. 2023 Traveller was a breath of fresh air in country music. Brittney McKenna, SPIN, 10 Nov. 2023 The medley is going to lean heavily on country classics and highlight Malone’s increasing presence in country music: This week he was photographed in the studio with both Wallen and the songwriter Ernest, and later, Luke Combs. Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2023 Her ability to exquisitely detail the stories held closest to the heart, and deftly characterize an array of emotions, made Berg a go-to writer for many artists, but particularly many of the female artists whose music dominated country music in the 1990s. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 8 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'country music.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of country music was in 1942

Dictionary Entries Near country music

Cite this Entry

“Country music.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/country%20music. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

country music

noun
: music coming from or imitating the folk style of the Southern U.S. or the Western cowboy

More from Merriam-Webster on country music

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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