as in song
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment
a haunting ballad about lost love and loneliness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 ballad
The San Jose Stage production also has the fortune of working with a terrific five-piece band, with Benjamin Belew’s music direction more effective in the rock versions than the power ballads.
—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Sarnoski’s film takes its title from one of those ballads, in which Robin Hood — long before there was any Maid Marian to speak of — was a mere yeoman.
—
ABC News,
17 June 2026
The Death of Robin Hood is based on the English ballad Robin Hood’s Death, a poetic Middle English telling of the bandit’s final days.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
The piano ballad follows the dissolution of a relationship as the couple grows apart.
—
Katie Simons,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ballad
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
Sarnoski’s film takes its title from one of those ballads, in which Robin Hood — long before there was any Maid Marian to speak of — was a mere yeoman.
—
ABC News,
17 June 2026
The Death of Robin Hood is based on the English ballad Robin Hood’s Death, a poetic Middle English telling of the bandit’s final days.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
The piano ballad follows the dissolution of a relationship as the couple grows apart.
—
Katie Simons,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ballad
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballad
Noun
-
So to reel it in, Pillsbury and his band threw on a sitar — which made the cut on a few songs — and a flute solo.
-
Listen to the Obama playlists Barack Obama is known for releasing his songs of the summer playlist each year, and his end-of-year favorites in books, movies and music.
Noun
-
For centuries, spiritual hymns have kept hope alive, even more so for the enslaved.
-
The star players seem happy, and everyone appears to be singing from the same hymn sheet.
Noun
-
The event will culminate Saturday with a performance by Common, whose career has been defined by socially conscious lyrics, storytelling and advocacy.
-
The band says that the themes and lyrics of Book of Love reflected their lives and experiences in New York City during that period in the 1980s.
Noun
-
The show features timeless works from influential artists whose songs have long served as anthems for social change and perseverance.
-
Pop anthems gave way to house beats.
Noun
-
These inputs are for capturing vocals and acoustic instruments with zero hiss.
-
And what would the soundtrack be without Salonga’s vocals?
Noun
-
Check out this 1997 live TV version of Paranoid Android, which veers from lullaby to apocalypse within the space of a few minutes.
-
In April 2019, Williams shared a nostalgic video of the two serenading her daughter Rowan with a Cheetah Girls hit-turned-lullaby via FaceTime.
Cite this Entry
“Ballad.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballad. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
