earworm

noun

ear·​worm ˈir-ˌwərm 

1

: corn earworm

2

: a song or melody that keeps repeating in one's mind

Examples of earworm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The On Brand Agency creatives will work with a major brand in need of a big idea for a massive, high-priority campaign – from creating earworm jingles and unbelievable activations to producing the most quotable commercials and must-have merchandise. —Peter White, Deadline, 20 June 2025

For three decades now, this quartet of college pals have produced an impressive body of work that is eminently hummable, a cornucopia of earworms that everyone knows even if most folks would fail to come up with the names of their songs. —Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 2 June 2025

But by Monday, the children’s song—a frequent earworm—was no more. —Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025

With its vivid animation and focus on earworm sing-along songs, CoComelon has become a worldwide hit with more than 4 billion views on YouTube. —Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing earworm

• corn earworm