theme song

noun

plural theme songs

1

: a song or melody strongly associated with someone or something

a famous performer's theme song

the theme song of a political campaign

often : an identifying melody or song typically played at the beginning of a movie, television show, etc., and sometimes recurring during its course

Some of these shows were truly unforgettable, with catchy theme songs that are instantly recognizable decades later.

—Grant Butler

2

: a statement, expression, or opinion repeatedly heard from someone

But literary history is also entangled with criticism. Inevitably so; let me revert unblushingly to my theme song: in order to appreciate a masterpiece, we must be acquainted with its language …

—Albert Guerard

Examples of theme song in a Sentence

He was playing the theme song from “The Godfather.”

Recent Examples on the Web

But what a great idea for big-screen treatment of a seminal series, down to the theme song and tropical vistas. — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026

The phone at the gate of her Los Angeles home rings with the show’s theme song. — Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2026

Jackson’s second solo effort — released just seven months after his first — will always be defined by its title track, the theme song to the rodent-centric 1972 film of the same name. — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Aug. 2026

Parton wrote the film’s theme song, winning her two Grammy Awards and a People’s Choice Award for it. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for theme song

• evensong
• livelong
• overlong
• vietcong
• agung
• along
• belong
• birdsong
• furlong
• headlong
• headstrong
• lifelong