serenade

1 of 2

noun

ser·​e·​nade ˌser-ə-ˈnād How to pronounce serenade (audio)
Synonyms of serenadenext
1
a
: a complimentary vocal or instrumental performance
especially : one given outdoors at night for a woman being courted
b
: a work so performed
2
: an instrumental composition in several movements, written for a small ensemble, and midway between the suite and the symphony in style

serenade

2 of 2

verb

serenaded; serenading

intransitive verb

: to play a serenade

transitive verb

: to perform a serenade in honor of
serenader noun

Examples of serenade in a Sentence

Verb He serenaded her from the garden below her window.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Their mother helped book their first gigs singing serenade covers. Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026 Smith, who turned 55 this past Thursday and received a surprise mariachi serenade from his staff midweek, gave his man-of-the-match nod not to a goal scorer, but to captain Ashley Westwood. Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
Mitchell Robinson played 21 minutes and finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and a steal before the home crowd serenaded him with a rousing ovation on his way to then bench midway through the fourth quarter. Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026 Across the grounds, Pedal Steel Noah serenaded a small gathering in the chapel with an instrumental set. Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for serenade

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French sérénade, from Italian serenata, from sereno clear, calm (of weather), from Latin serenus serene

First Known Use

Noun

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1668, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of serenade was in 1649

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Serenade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serenade. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

serenade

1 of 2 noun
ser·​e·​nade ˌser-ə-ˈnād How to pronounce serenade (audio)
: music as sung or played outdoors at night for a woman

serenade

2 of 2 verb
serenaded; serenading
: to entertain with or perform a serenade
serenader noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster