: a form of French West Indian music blending African rhythms, reggae, calypso, and electronic dance music
Examples of zouk in a Sentence
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My father was the saxophonist of Kassav’, a big zouk group from the French Caribbean.
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Kyle Denis, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2025
Infectious zouk and soca music fill the air, and the energy of the Nèg Gwo Siwo — revelers who coat themselves in cane sugar molasses and charcoal as a commemoration of enslaved people and their spirit of rebellion — is powerful to witness.
—Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024
Think part restaurant pop-up, part food truck fest with over thirty places to choose from, and a side of live entertainment featuring high-energy performances of zouk, soca, and reggae music.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 12 Oct. 2023
Born to famed singer Lionel Benjamin in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Mikaben was a vocalist, composer and producer who spanned several genres, including Haitian kompa, the Antillean zouk, Jamaican reggae and hip-hop.
—Christi Carrasstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2022
Kuduro is an energetic trans-Atlantic clash of genres — including hip-hop, house, zouk and soca — and Pongo adds extra layers, blending them with current electronic styles and mixing in a contemporary pop flavor.
—Kate Hutchinson, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2020
The more traditional classic ones are compas — that genre is zouk, like Caribbean music, but really romantic dance music, a slower tempo that’s very popular around the Caribbean and Haiti.
—Raisa Bruner, Time, 11 May 2018
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Kyle Denis, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2025
Infectious zouk and soca music fill the air, and the energy of the Nèg Gwo Siwo — revelers who coat themselves in cane sugar molasses and charcoal as a commemoration of enslaved people and their spirit of rebellion — is powerful to witness.
—Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024
Think part restaurant pop-up, part food truck fest with over thirty places to choose from, and a side of live entertainment featuring high-energy performances of zouk, soca, and reggae music.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 12 Oct. 2023
Born to famed singer Lionel Benjamin in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Mikaben was a vocalist, composer and producer who spanned several genres, including Haitian kompa, the Antillean zouk, Jamaican reggae and hip-hop.
—Christi Carrasstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2022
Kuduro is an energetic trans-Atlantic clash of genres — including hip-hop, house, zouk and soca — and Pongo adds extra layers, blending them with current electronic styles and mixing in a contemporary pop flavor.
—Kate Hutchinson, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2020
The more traditional classic ones are compas — that genre is zouk, like Caribbean music, but really romantic dance music, a slower tempo that’s very popular around the Caribbean and Haiti.
—Raisa Bruner, Time, 11 May 2018
Cite this Entry
“Zouk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zouk. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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