karaoke

noun

kar·​a·​o·​ke ˌker-ē-ˈō-kē 

ˌka-rē-

also

kə-ˈrō-kē  ˌkä-rä-ˈō-(ˌ)kā 

: a device that plays instrumental accompaniments for a selection of songs to which the user sings along and that records the user's singing with the music

a karaoke machine

also : a form of entertainment involving the use of such a device (as in a bar)

Examples of karaoke in a Sentence

That bar has karaoke on Saturday night.

Recent Examples on the Web

Parsons has been with his husband, Spiewak, since 2002, after meeting on a blind karaoke date set up by friends. —Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026

Once the pandemic happened, in order to limit the number of people onstage, Eurovision basically became a karaoke contest — everything was backing tracks, one vocalist. —Charlie Harding, Vulture, 15 May 2026

This is why the opportunity right now isn’t to reinvent karaoke, but to elevate it. —Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 1 May 2026

Guest-favorite activities include bike light parades, karaoke, and paint nights. —Maggie Downs, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, from kara empty + ōke, short for ōkesutora orchestra

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for karaoke

• cloche
• gnocchi
• loci
• pokey
• smokey
• smoky

Kids Definition

karaoke

noun

kar·​a·​o·​ke ˌkar-ē-ˌō-kē  kə-ˈrō-kē 

: a device that plays music to which the user sings along and that records the user's singing with the music