orchestral
adjective
or·ches·tral
ȯr-ˈke-strəl 
1
: of, relating to, or composed for an orchestra
2
: suggestive of an orchestra or its musical qualities
Examples of orchestral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The series adaptation of the novel featured an original score from Carlos Rafael Rivera, who used variations of orchestral music to mirror the changing life of Beth Harmon, portrayed in the show by Anya Taylor-Joy.
—
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2023
Although the instrument has an integral role in the orchestral ecosystem—every ensemble tunes to its piercing A—the sweet-and-sour tang of its sound limits its popularity as a solo voice, particularly in comparison with the mellifluousness of the flute or the clarinet.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
The career retrospective, which collects some of Richard’s top hits, reimagined with orchestral arrangements by Chris Walden, is set to start at No. 4.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2023
The teaser trailer, shared exclusively with Variety, is marked by soaring orchestral music which contributes to a feeling of dread as an old man looks out the window to see a comet hurtling towards earth.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 7 Nov. 2023
After John sings several verses and is eventually joined by McCartney, the song culminates into an extremely emotionally affective track, as they’re backed by grand orchestral strings and a guitar solo.
—Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
Tesori smartly conjures the uncertainty with which Jess begins to learn her new task, with an orchestral landscape of eerie, jittery spareness.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2023
In April 2022, a select group of orchestral session musicians received an offer to work on a Paul McCartney recording.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2023
The orchestral thunder of James Newton Howard’s score marries well with Lucy Gray’s songs, in which executive music producer Dave Cobb crafts rousing tunes around Collins’ lyrics, adding fire to the heroine’s rebel spirit.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Nov. 2023
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Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2023
Although the instrument has an integral role in the orchestral ecosystem—every ensemble tunes to its piercing A—the sweet-and-sour tang of its sound limits its popularity as a solo voice, particularly in comparison with the mellifluousness of the flute or the clarinet.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
The career retrospective, which collects some of Richard’s top hits, reimagined with orchestral arrangements by Chris Walden, is set to start at No. 4.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2023
The teaser trailer, shared exclusively with Variety, is marked by soaring orchestral music which contributes to a feeling of dread as an old man looks out the window to see a comet hurtling towards earth.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 7 Nov. 2023
After John sings several verses and is eventually joined by McCartney, the song culminates into an extremely emotionally affective track, as they’re backed by grand orchestral strings and a guitar solo.
—Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
Tesori smartly conjures the uncertainty with which Jess begins to learn her new task, with an orchestral landscape of eerie, jittery spareness.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2023
In April 2022, a select group of orchestral session musicians received an offer to work on a Paul McCartney recording.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2023
The orchestral thunder of James Newton Howard’s score marries well with Lucy Gray’s songs, in which executive music producer Dave Cobb crafts rousing tunes around Collins’ lyrics, adding fire to the heroine’s rebel spirit.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'orchestral.' 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
circa 1779, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near orchestral
Cite this Entry
“Orchestral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orchestral. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
orchestral
adjective
or·ches·tral
ȯr-ˈkes-trəl
: of, relating to, or written for an orchestra
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