symphony

sym·pho·ny | \ ˈsim(p)-fə-nē

How to pronounce symphony (audio)

\

plural symphonies

Definition of symphony

1 : consonance of sounds

2a : ritornello sense 1

b : sinfonia sense 1

c(1) : a usually long and complex sonata for symphony orchestra

(2) : a musical composition (as for organ) resembling such a symphony in complexity or variety

3 : consonance or harmony of color (as in a painting)

4a : symphony orchestra

b : a symphony orchestra concert

5 : something that in its harmonious complexity or variety suggests a symphonic composition a symphony of flavors

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about symphony

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of symphony in a Sentence

the satisfying symphony of color in Renoir's canvases a performance of a Bach concerto by the San Antonio Symphony

Recent Examples on the Web The classes also gave the musicians, locked out of their symphony halls and classrooms because of the virus, a creative outlet, Lumley said. — Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje, ExpressNews.com, "Master hornist in Boerne seeks to ‘play hope back into the world’," 3 July 2020 So put your brain in the fridge, sit back and enjoy a laugh watching this symphony of slapstick. — Bill Keveney, USA TODAY, "Lava, tag and mini-golf: Ranking summer's reality TV games for escapist fun in difficult times," 14 July 2020 Sharing mutual sympathies can create a symphony of hearts. — oregonlive, "Horoscope for July 12, 2020: Happy birthday Rachel Brosnahan; Libra, make your fondest dreams come true," 12 July 2020 The symphony’s return after coronavirus shutdown depends on the community as much as the musicians. — Express-news Staff, ExpressNews.com, "Timeline of coronavirus in San Antonio: May and June," 30 June 2020 The Good, The Bad and the Ugly) with a strange and distinctive symphony of instruments such as surf guitars, jaw harps, gunshots, whip cracks, and ghostly whistling. — Chris Nashawaty, EW.com, "Oscar-winner Ennio Morricone, prolific composer of iconic spaghetti westerns, dies at 91," 6 July 2020 The symphony of power tools conducted by men in hard hats still echoed in the foothills of the Ramapo Mountains when Carol Ryan first arrived at the brand-new liberal arts college in Mahwah, N.J. — New York Times, "Some Unexpected Survey Results," 3 July 2020 Burkhart Reddick wrote that the symphony plans to host virtual performances and is brainstorming new ways to bring the city music. — Danielle Duclos, Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage Symphony Orchestra cancels all in-person concerts through 2020," 1 July 2020 Once the symphony is able to return to the Tobin Center, Murphy thinks performances will be a little different at first. — Deborah Martin, ExpressNews.com, "San Antonio Symphony musicians eager to move beyond virtual performances," 2 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'symphony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about symphony

Dictionary Entries near symphony

symphony orchestra

Statistics for symphony

Last Updated

6 Aug 2020

Cite this Entry

“Symphony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/symphony. Accessed 14 Aug. 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for symphony

symphony

noun

English Language Learners Definition of symphony

: a long piece of music that is usually in four large, separate sections and that is performed by an orchestra

See the full definition for symphony in the English Language Learners Dictionary

symphony

sym·pho·ny | \ ˈsim-fə-nē

\

plural symphonies

Kids Definition of symphony

1 : a usually long musical composition for a full orchestra

2 : a large orchestra of wind, string, and percussion instruments

3 : harmonious arrangement (as of sound or color)

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

quiescent

Listen to the pronunciation of quiescent

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Original Meanings Quiz

Which of the following is the earliest known sense of the word awe?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Dictionary Devil

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.