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

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will take the karaoke stage in October to raise money for two political action committees looking to mobilize voters in the midterm elections. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026

Yet scrolling through Google Maps for signs of an off-ramp or desperately searching for a banger on Spotify to kick off the next round of car karaoke must surely be contenders. — Mike McRae 18, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026

And hey, if the superstar was feeling a little low, what better pick-me-up than karaoke with Chrissie Hynde or a heart-to-heart in the ladies’ with ennui expert Lena Dunham? — Ben Jureidini, Vanity Fair, 15 Aug. 2026

Another night on the retreat, Hilton allegedly got into a verbal tussle with a karaoke bar bouncer, causing staff to intervene and usher him away. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 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