dance 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dancenext
as in prom
a social gathering for dancing who are you taking to the dance on Saturday night?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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dance

2 of 2

verb

ˈdan(t)s How to pronounce dance (audio)
1
as in to step
to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music she can't resist dancing to her favorite rock bands

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to dart
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements the lithe boxer danced around the ring, staying just out of the reach of his opponent

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dance
Noun
She’s seen during a dance rehearsal, a silly social media clip, and onstage from their Lollapalooza set, the latter of which came before her announcement in February to step away from Katseye. — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026 The club’s members, including an industrialist and his expatriate niece, the president and his pampered wife, and a slew of Chinese tourists, engage in a complex dance with the doting and subservient staff. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
Verb
Princess Diana wore the choker while dancing with John Travolta at the White House. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 9 July 2026 Dance danced away with the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dance
  1. prom
  2. step
  3. dart
  4. festival
  5. waltz
  6. flit
  7. celebration
  8. shuffle
Noun
  • Kelly Kapowski had just broken up with Zack Morris on Saved by the Bell — and at the prom, of all places!
    — Devon Daniels, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
  • Dunkin’ Prom, which funds alternative proms for teens who may have missed theirs for medical reasons and lastly, grants to customize hospital spaces to create joy.
    — Zuri Primos June 29, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • Kansas City Royals slugger Jac Caglianone stepped onto the national stage during the 2026 T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday night.
    — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
  • All the Spain players move towards goal and Austria follow suit, but Baena arrows a straight pass that Mikel Oyarzabal, the only player to step backwards, heads wide.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of step
Verb
  • His plan worked, and the bear darted to the side of the road before disappearing back into the woods.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • So far, the Pentagon has released three batches of files ranging from decades-old FBI reports to more recent military videos showing orbs darting or soaring through the sky.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • The Stoned Climbers festival, which took place last week in the Zhytomyr region, is Ukraine’s biggest outdoors event combining climbing and live music.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
  • More than 250 creators showed up across official festival programming this year, the most in Cannes Lions history.
    — Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of festival
Verb
  • Jey Uso lost to Oba Femi and decided to waltz over to SmackDown to try to get a shot at Zayn’s title.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
  • Sweden waltzed to a 5-1 victory against Tunisia in its opener, with its forward line of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres capitalizing on some poor defending.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
Definition of waltz
Verb
  • An airy, not-too-sweet vanilla like Taunt is the perfect encapsulation of a Gemini who’s always flitting from one topic of interest to the next.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 14 July 2026
  • The Spanish, who had at first just flitted along the coast in their galleons, had begun marching inland and overland from Mexico with crosses and soldiers and soldiers’ families.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of flit
Noun
  • Delivery had been delayed as the city grappled with the tragedy, a small but unforgettable reminder that Atlanta’s celebration had changed overnight.
    — Andrea Clement, AJC.com, 17 July 2026
  • The whole thing, from the new series to the game nights themselves, even this evening’s celebrations, have the feeling of the late-1970s public access show TV Party, a loose, unpredictable New York salon helmed by Glenn O’Brien.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026
Definition of celebration
Verb
  • He’s been shuffled on and off the practice squad here over the years.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 15 July 2026
  • Burke piles fascinating shuffling sounds on top, invoking a quiet scuffle, maybe some cardboard boxes being knocked over in a storage space.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026
Definition of shuffle

Phrases Containing dance

Browse Nearby Words

dam (up)
dance
dance attendance (upon)
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Cite this Entry

“Dance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dance. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dance

Nglish: Translation of dance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dance

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