danced; dancing
1
: to move one's body rhythmically usually to music : to engage in or perform a dance (see dance entry 2 sense 2)
dancing to our favorite song
Shall we dance?
2
: to move or seem to move up and down or about in a quick or lively manner
dance for joy
leaves dancing in the wind
1
: to perform or take part in as a dancer
dance the waltz
2
: to cause to dance
danced the baby on her knee
3
: to bring into a specified condition by dancing
danced his way into her heart
dancer
noun
often attributive
1
: an act or instance of moving one's body rhythmically usually to music : an act or instance of dancing (see dance entry 1 sense 1)
the couple's first dance as husband and wife
May I have this dance?
2
: a series of rhythmic and patterned bodily movements usually performed to music
slow dances
dance moves
3
: a social gathering for dancing
a high school dance
4
: a piece of music by which dancing may be guided
5
: the art of dancing
studied dance in college
Synonyms
Examples of dance in a Sentence
Verb
He never learned how to dance.
She has always loved to dance.
I like the song but it's really hard to dance to.
He danced her across the floor.
She dances with a famous ballet company.
She's a great actress, and she can dance and sing, too.
Noun
They can do all the popular dances.
The only dance he knows how to do is the twist.
How about one more dance?
He stopped right in the middle of the dance to tie his shoe.
He did a celebration dance in the end zone after scoring the touchdown.
She studied dance in college.
Recent Examples on the Web
Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
Frigid water leaked through the seals around his wrists, but he was too entranced by the whirls of dirt that rose upwards around his legs and the beams of sunlight dancing through the water to end his adventure voluntarily.
—Rachel Lance, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
On the bench, players danced and hugged one another.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
There will be a DJ and live dancing from 5 to 7 p.m. before the screening.
—The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 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
This hit song, on her new (and hugely popular) Cowboy Carter album, is both an invitation to dance and an assertion of African American cultural identity.
—Aaron Cohen, NPR, 5 Apr. 2024
As a poet, Angelou’s words danced off the page, capturing the essence of the human experience.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Apr. 2024
He was seen talking to Duke fans, dancing in the middle of the court during crunch time of crucial victories, all while being a dominant force with the basketball in his hand.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
The viral dance helps the song balloon in chart-eligible U.S. streams, skyrocketing 94% to 5.7 million April 5-11.
—Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2024
Interviews by Kate Guadagnino Stepping Into the World of Dance
As Harlem Stage’s E-Moves dance series turns 25, Bill T. Jones and other major choreographers discuss its impact on Black dance in New York.
—Kate Guadagnino, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
The original Atlas robot can be seen on Boston Dynamic's website performing a range of tasks, including lifting objects and even busting out dance moves.
—Noah Osborne, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
Expect garden tours, craft vendors, guest speakers, workshops and live performances in drumming and Aztec dance.
—The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2024
In order to overcome a curse, the Goatherd must embark on a series of quests: lifting a massive sacred object off the ground, seeking an ogre’s keep, and, eventually, performing a ridiculously complicated dance.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2024
Of course, the accompanying choreography was just as important; The five members rehearsed for months to incorporate fresh and exciting new dance breaks, with each member bringing their own unique flavor to the mix.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2024
The group, which formed in Anaheim, California in 1986, embraced its ska aesthetic, right down to the dance moves, horns and fashion choices.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 14 Apr. 2024
Verb
From a misfit reindeer to a dancing queen, the audio selections chosen for entry into the National Recording Registry of The Library of Congress this year span a large swath of the 20th century.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
Frigid water leaked through the seals around his wrists, but he was too entranced by the whirls of dirt that rose upwards around his legs and the beams of sunlight dancing through the water to end his adventure voluntarily.
—Rachel Lance, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
On the bench, players danced and hugged one another.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
There will be a DJ and live dancing from 5 to 7 p.m. before the screening.
—The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 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
This hit song, on her new (and hugely popular) Cowboy Carter album, is both an invitation to dance and an assertion of African American cultural identity.
—Aaron Cohen, NPR, 5 Apr. 2024
As a poet, Angelou’s words danced off the page, capturing the essence of the human experience.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 4 Apr. 2024
He was seen talking to Duke fans, dancing in the middle of the court during crunch time of crucial victories, all while being a dominant force with the basketball in his hand.
—Ben Morse, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Noun
This humanoid is famously known for its groovy dance moves that went viral in 2020.
—USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
The viral dance helps the song balloon in chart-eligible U.S. streams, skyrocketing 94% to 5.7 million April 5-11.
—Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 18 Apr. 2024
Interviews by Kate Guadagnino Stepping Into the World of Dance
As Harlem Stage’s E-Moves dance series turns 25, Bill T. Jones and other major choreographers discuss its impact on Black dance in New York.
—Kate Guadagnino, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
The original Atlas robot can be seen on Boston Dynamic's website performing a range of tasks, including lifting objects and even busting out dance moves.
—Noah Osborne, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
Expect garden tours, craft vendors, guest speakers, workshops and live performances in drumming and Aztec dance.
—The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2024
In order to overcome a curse, the Goatherd must embark on a series of quests: lifting a massive sacred object off the ground, seeking an ogre’s keep, and, eventually, performing a ridiculously complicated dance.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2024
Of course, the accompanying choreography was just as important; The five members rehearsed for months to incorporate fresh and exciting new dance breaks, with each member bringing their own unique flavor to the mix.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2024
The group, which formed in Anaheim, California in 1986, embraced its ska aesthetic, right down to the dance moves, horns and fashion choices.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 14 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dance.' 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 dance
Cite this Entry
“Dance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dance. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dance
1 of 2 verb
danced; dancing
1
: to engage in or perform a dance
2
: to move quickly up and down or about
3
: to perform or take part in as a dancer
dancer
noun
dance
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of dancing
2
: a series of rhythmic and patterned bodily movements usually performed to music
3
: a social gathering for dancing
4
: a piece of music by which dancing may be guided
5
: the art of dancing
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