Recent Examples on the WebFor many, in other words, a torch song written from the POV of an underappreciated grown-man doll has become the unlikely anthem of the summer.—Ashley Fetters Maloy, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2023 In the ensuing decades, O’Connor continued to produce albums, calling on many different styles, including punk, rap, rasta, hip-hop, torch songs, Tin Pan Alley standards, and Disney showtunes.—Daphne Merkin, The New Republic, 11 Aug. 2023 Making her Newport debut on the main-stage Saturday, Ponder showed all the ways that her bet on herself has paid off, running through the textured torch songs that comprise her 2022 debut, Some Of Us Are Brave.—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2023 Bonnie Raitt's original recording of this melancholy torch song is an understated treasure.—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 11 July 2022 With Barker’s thunderous drums on its anthemic chorus, the pleading torch song transforms into a punch-in-the-gut power ballad that’s now been viewed nearly 800,000 times on YouTube and over 3 million times on his Instagram.—Lyndsey Havens, Billboard, 7 Apr. 2022 The baroquest of Bond films; there’s a deep melancholy under all the lavish action, right down to Nancy Sinatra’s bone-chilling torch song.—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2021 Angel Olsen jumping on the piano and playing a beautiful torch song at Capitol Studios to show what reverb does, too.—Liam Hess, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2021 There’s almost always a Disney torch song, a pop star trying to break the mold, and a tune by Diane Warren, who has been nominated 12 times now with no wins so far.—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 23 Apr. 2021 See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'torch song.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
from the phrase to carry a torch for (to be in love)
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