1
as in instrumentalists
a person who plays a musical instrument
the violinist was a famous and exquisitely talented musician
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in composers
a person who writes musical compositions
that musician is known for having written music that is very difficult to perform
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of musicians
Third, History podcasts build strong communities, with hosts gaining celebrity status and selling out live events, much like musicians, and History shows cover everything from broad overviews to deep dives into overlooked subjects like women’s history, LGBTQ+ issues, and cultural oddities.
—
Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
But when the orchestra encounters a complex jazz composition with conflicting time signatures, dissonant harmonies or sections requiring improvisation, the musicians need greater coordination.
—Ricky J. Sethi, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
Occasionally, musicians ranging from Beth Orton to ex-Savages singer Jehnny Beth stop by to perform a song.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026
Being an official performer in an orchestra is valuable for musicians, Suwandi said.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Kimberly McCue, president of the Parent Teacher Student Association for Lake Howell High School, said the organization’s funds have been used for the school’s Winter Arts Festival, which showcases student musicians.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
Born to a long line of musicians and entertainers (their great-grandparents were vaudevillians), Gunnar and Matt started writing music at age 6, shooting to fame in their own right after launching hard rock duo Nelson in the early 1980s.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
From there, however, the video leaves The Doors’ native SoCal and heads off around the world to draw upon musical contributions from more than 20 musicians and dancers from eight different countries.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
The awards will run on CBS and Paramount+ between 8pm-11pm ET/5pm-8pm PT on January 11 with a plethora of movies stars, musicians and actors from shows such as Heated Rivalry and Stranger Things taking to the stage.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
But when the orchestra encounters a complex jazz composition with conflicting time signatures, dissonant harmonies or sections requiring improvisation, the musicians need greater coordination.
—Ricky J. Sethi, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
Occasionally, musicians ranging from Beth Orton to ex-Savages singer Jehnny Beth stop by to perform a song.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026
Being an official performer in an orchestra is valuable for musicians, Suwandi said.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Kimberly McCue, president of the Parent Teacher Student Association for Lake Howell High School, said the organization’s funds have been used for the school’s Winter Arts Festival, which showcases student musicians.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
Born to a long line of musicians and entertainers (their great-grandparents were vaudevillians), Gunnar and Matt started writing music at age 6, shooting to fame in their own right after launching hard rock duo Nelson in the early 1980s.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
From there, however, the video leaves The Doors’ native SoCal and heads off around the world to draw upon musical contributions from more than 20 musicians and dancers from eight different countries.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
The awards will run on CBS and Paramount+ between 8pm-11pm ET/5pm-8pm PT on January 11 with a plethora of movies stars, musicians and actors from shows such as Heated Rivalry and Stranger Things taking to the stage.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for musicians
Noun
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The competition was open to instrumentalists, vocalists and groups of all nationalities.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Dec. 2025
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Since Chuck Berry’s first hits, rock’s most famous instrumentalists have been lead guitarists, who step out in front of the band with flashy solos.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
5 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Unconventional composers Latham and Shelby Gaines’ terrific, mood-setting score does a lot of the heavy lifting, so to speak, as the movie skips between set-pieces.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2026
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Attendees will learn about the back stories of some popular Christian composers who have been on the top of the music charts.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The idea arose when, as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western artists began to write and create art about the preconditions and reasons behind Russia’s actions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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For many people who stream music every day, how artists and rightsholders are paid is not a primary concern.—
Shain Shapiro,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Musicians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/musicians. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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