Illustration of vibraphone
vibraphone
noun
vi·bra·phone
ˈvī-brə-ˌfōn 
: a percussion instrument resembling the xylophone but having metal bars and motor-driven resonators for sustaining the tone and producing a vibrato
Examples of vibraphone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Listen closely, though, and there’s a lot more going on: wandering vibraphones, bursts of dubwise effects, and drum parts cut up and interwoven in a way that gives the impression of a superhuman percussionist, an octopus with sticks.
—
Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 4 June 2026
But the track has a notable omission: the very instrument Roy Ayers was known for, the vibraphone.
—Nabil Ayers, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2026
This version used two marimbas, two vibraphones, tuned metal pipes, a glockenspiel, piano and synthesizer.
—Lisa Hirsch, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Feb. 2026
The drummer and vibraphone player, who has toured with famed jazz musicians, has hosted the annual holiday concerts since 2006, per AP.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vibraphone
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Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 4 June 2026
But the track has a notable omission: the very instrument Roy Ayers was known for, the vibraphone.
—Nabil Ayers, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2026
This version used two marimbas, two vibraphones, tuned metal pipes, a glockenspiel, piano and synthesizer.
—Lisa Hirsch, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Feb. 2026
The drummer and vibraphone player, who has toured with famed jazz musicians, has hosted the annual holiday concerts since 2006, per AP.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vibraphone
Cite this Entry
“Vibraphone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vibraphone. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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vibraphone
noun
vi·bra·phone
ˈvī-brə-ˌfōn
: a musical instrument resembling the xylophone but having metal bars and devices for increasing the vibrations
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