musical 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmyü-zi-kəl How to pronounce musical (audio)
Definition of musicalnext
1
as in melodic
having a pleasantly flowing quality suggestive of music the musical sounds of the babbling brook

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in symphonic
having a pleasing mixture of notes the song of the skylark has been celebrated for being especially musical

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

musical

2 of 2

noun

as in comedy

Related Words

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 musical
Adjective
On the lower end of grosses, Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York), which opened in November 2025, saw capacity drop to 65 percent, with the musical bringing in $484,143. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026 The film, about a boy in Mexico who goes to the Land of the Dead in search of his musical idol, resonates with the culture of many Southern Californians in Disneyland’s backyard. — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
An underrated musical based on a book-length poem about scandalous behavior in early Hollywood is enough of a reason to check out the season-ending show at Playhouse on Park. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026 The Lyric Theater, which was built in the 1920s as a silent movie house, regularly hosts plays, musicals, and performances from big-name talent in its grand, 500-seat theater. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for musical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for musical
  1. melodic
  2. symphonic
  3. comedy
  4. lyrical
  5. melodrama
  6. lyric
  7. tragicomedy
  8. musical comedy
Adjective
  • Over the course of about a half hour on stage, Shonen Knife fed their Ramones like punk sensibility through a Beach Boys lens, producing a unique brand of jangly, melodic, hooky punk rock complete with gorgeous live harmonies.
    — Jim Ryan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Angels is relentless, melodic, and aggressive—Pocket Pet and Achilles are standouts—a darkly feverish run of glitchy and tense soundscapes.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of melodic
Adjective
  • In his first years, Dudamel explored standard symphonic repertory with immersions into the symphonies and worlds of Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Dvorak and Ives, often in context with new music.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • During his freshman year of high school, Butker’s tuba-playing partner, the varsity kicker, approached Butker, originally a soccer player, during symphonic band class about taking on the kicking duties for the football team the next year.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of symphonic
Noun
  • The comedy icon, who turned 100 in June, was born in the silent era and grew up in Brooklyn devouring double bills at his neighborhood theater in the 1930s.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Julie Klausner would like comedy liberated from the phone and returned to the sitcom.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of comedy
Adjective
  • Seamlessly blending lyrical memoir, science writing and travelogue, Turning covers her first year in Berlin.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The man was a rock and roll sound smith and a lyrical sorcerer.
    — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of lyrical
Noun
  • Inspired by the transient beauty of cherry blossoms, known in Japan as sakura — which is illustrated in their album cover, alongside a dark pegasus — much of the LP also hinges on melodrama.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The show is not yet as fine-tuned as its predecessor; some dialogue could use less theatrical melodrama and characterizations could be tightened, but staging is stellar.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of melodrama
Adjective
  • Madonna asked the crowd — before the studio version rolled out in the days that followed, complete with lyric videos featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the Amsterdam event.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Watch a lyric video, assembled from Super 8 footage of Prine on a family vacation in the early 1970s, below.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026
Definition of lyric
Noun
  • Carys made her professional stage debut in June, playing Nina in Anton Chekhov’s tragicomedy The Seagull in Brooklyn.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
  • That’s what appears to be the case with Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, who first met in 1992 on the set of romantic tragicomedy Jamón Jamón.
    — Alessandra De Tommasi, Vanity Fair, 5 July 2026
Definition of tragicomedy
Noun
  • He was also seen in the second season of Prime Video’s spy drama Citadel and reteamed with his Sing Street director John Carney for Power Ballad, the musical comedy that starred Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas and was released by Lionsgate in the spring.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The singers appeared in the 1968 musical comedy film Speedway, nine years before Presley died of a heart attack at 42 in August 1977.
    — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of musical comedy

Browse Nearby Words

mushy
musical
musical comedies
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Cite this Entry

“Musical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/musical. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on musical

Nglish: Translation of musical for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about musical

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