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
Several musical artists withdrew from the fair in May, arguing that what was presented as a nonpartisan celebration had become politicized. — Adam Eichen, The Conversation, 14 July 2026 Broadway in Boston lives up to its name, bringing the national tour of the musical to the Citizens Opera House, while the show still plays on Broadway. — Lisa Hughes, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Noun
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 The Tuacahn Center for the Arts produces concerts, plays, and Broadway musicals. — Tamara Gane, Travel + Leisure, 15 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
  • The double bass became both the heartbeat and the guide of jazz, supporting the ensemble while adding its own rhythmic and melodic voice.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026
  • Supported by piano, bass and drums, the quartet blended jazz, soul and groove-driven improvisation, with Tillotson’s rich voice and melodic flute lines creating a distinctive sound.
    — Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of melodic
Adjective
  • All of it comes together in their new album in a rich symphonic display that creates tension, emotion, introspection, and revelry and that tells a deep narrative through sound, one that even the addition of lyrics couldn’t improve on.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 9 July 2026
  • The German and Austrian symphonic and operatic music of the 1930s happens to be the root of the Hollywood soundtrack, created by composers such as Erich Korngold, who fled the Nazis.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Definition of symphonic
Noun
  • The Breadwinner, a family comedy starring Nate Bargatze and Mandy Moore, is coming to digital streaming this week after the film failed to bring home the bread in theaters.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • The delightful and deceptively deep family mystery comedy stars Hugh Jackman as an English shepherd who is found dead.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Definition of comedy
Adjective
  • Hers is a voice that ought to have a lifetime’s staying power, bolstered by a lyrical and musical sensibility that provide everything her instrument needs to deliver a happy succession of knockout blows.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 July 2026
  • The Brooklyn neighborhood where, if Swiftie lyrical interpretations are to be trusted, Swift left a now-infamous scarf at the home of one Maggie Gyllenhaal around 2010.
    — Lily Boyce, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of lyrical
Noun
  • But there’s a savvy 2026 vibe about the way the film refuses to create florid melodrama out of quotidian crisis, and instead observes with generosity as the characters grope awkwardly toward emotional détente and mutual forgiveness.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
  • The show focuses on a love triangle between brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) and their childhood friend Belly (Lola Tung), and the fallout of the love triangle's melodrama on their family and friends.
    — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of melodrama
Adjective
  • The song was paired with a lyric video that reuses two-decade-old footage shot by collaborator Cliff Watts, who also photographed Beyoncé’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 July 2026
  • According to a release from Parkwood Entertainment, the song arrives along with a lyric video directed by Cliff Watts that repurposes old footage.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 4 July 2026
Definition of lyric
Noun
  • 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
  • As opposed to tragedy’s narrative arc of historical fate, tragicomedy unfolds in an infinite present.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
Definition of tragicomedy
Noun
  • New Zealand actor and comedian Jemaine Clement is having a moment thanks to recent reunion gigs for Flight of the Conchords, his musical comedy act with Bret McKenzie, and co-starring role in buzzy Disney+ relationship drama Alice & Steve.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 June 2026
  • Frankie stars in the musical comedy, a parody of the 1997 blockbuster Titanic set to a score of songs by Céline Dion.
    — Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 19 June 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 16 Jul. 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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