the strings
plural noun
: the instruments of an orchestra (such as the cello, violin, or piano) that have strings or the musicians who play them
Examples of the strings in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The piano plays mostly arpeggios; the strings fixate for hundreds of bars on a pair of hazy four-note chords.
—
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Sustained support from the strings gives way to watery ripples and busy chatters, with piquant harmonic implications.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026
People can see the strings being pulled.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Named after the interval between acts of a play or opera and inspired by a moment of tonal change in a Haydn quartet, the work has a dream-like quality, with musicians at times barely touching the strings to create a hallowed sound.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the strings
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.
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Sustained support from the strings gives way to watery ripples and busy chatters, with piquant harmonic implications.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 23 Jan. 2026
People can see the strings being pulled.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2026
Named after the interval between acts of a play or opera and inspired by a moment of tonal change in a Haydn quartet, the work has a dream-like quality, with musicians at times barely touching the strings to create a hallowed sound.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the strings
Cite this Entry
“The strings.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20strings. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
