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

Now-former The White Lotus composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer won the Emmy Award for his theme song for the HBO series’ third season Saturday, despite the track sparking a disagreement with creator Mike White that resulted in Tapia de Veer’s exit from the show. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2025

Beyond music, Stone is the voice behind the beloved Girlfriends theme song and even made her presence felt on screen in Fighting Temptations, Scary Movie V, In The Cut, Saints & Sinners, One on One, School Gyrls, and Lincoln Heights. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Playwright Sean Paraventi grew up loving the sitcom and sang the theme song at a talent show as a child. —Julie Hinds, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025

Blossom fans, try not to be gettin' all depressed, as the theme song says, but the family sitcom won't be back after all. —Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2025

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