as in songs
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 ballads
The ballads speak about love, but from a relaxed place.
—
Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Interspersed with folk ballads, this fantasia-like play certainly creates a mood, but struggles to tell a cohesive story.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
An old soul with with a huge, commanding voice, his catalog hovers between the orchestral swoon of pre-rock ballads, the pristine melodies of Anita Baker and the rangy, resilient yearning of his hometown’s soul tradition.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
That success — as well as surviving his own murder attempt — has sparked a nationwide infatuation of Harfuch, which includes merchandise and popular ballads praising him.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
The show ebbed and flowed with precision, with the uptempo jams countered by Mars’ considerable arsenal of ballads.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Elsewhere on the project, Bowlin, aided by producer David Ferguson (Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson), moves between honky-tonk-laden melodies and murder ballads, sometimes even dipping his toe into the sphere of alternative rock.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
In between are lush and smoky country ballads shot through with irresistible melodies.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2026
The Asian version will take flight after the original contest takes place in Vienna in May, with 35 countries competing in the singing contest known for outrageous costumes, towering ballads and high-energy performances.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Interspersed with folk ballads, this fantasia-like play certainly creates a mood, but struggles to tell a cohesive story.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
An old soul with with a huge, commanding voice, his catalog hovers between the orchestral swoon of pre-rock ballads, the pristine melodies of Anita Baker and the rangy, resilient yearning of his hometown’s soul tradition.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
That success — as well as surviving his own murder attempt — has sparked a nationwide infatuation of Harfuch, which includes merchandise and popular ballads praising him.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
The show ebbed and flowed with precision, with the uptempo jams countered by Mars’ considerable arsenal of ballads.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Elsewhere on the project, Bowlin, aided by producer David Ferguson (Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson), moves between honky-tonk-laden melodies and murder ballads, sometimes even dipping his toe into the sphere of alternative rock.
—Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
In between are lush and smoky country ballads shot through with irresistible melodies.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2026
The Asian version will take flight after the original contest takes place in Vienna in May, with 35 countries competing in the singing contest known for outrageous costumes, towering ballads and high-energy performances.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballads
Noun
-
That qualifies as a bold move in an era when legendary and up-and-coming artists alike often hesitate to perform even one or two songs from their latest albums — the better to avoid an exodus of attendees making a beeline for refreshments, restrooms or the merch booths.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Her songs in the film — written by Charli xcx, Jack Antonoff, and FKA twigs, who also co-stars — also have real pop bona fides.—
Jake Coyle,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Christian hymns were sung in English and Creole.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The music is eclectic and includes sounds associated with Islam as well as bluegrass, hymns and spirituals.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
John Lennon basically saw a poster for a circus event with Henry the Horse, so that essentially became the lyrics to that song.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
-
As usual, Bey’s lyrics touch on heavy themes without pressing on them.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Teenagers scaled Budapest’s iconic Chain Bridge and blasted revolutionary anthems by artists whose songs captured young people’s frustrations with the regime.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Like all other private and public enterprises in Germany, these guilds now began their meetings with anthems and Hitler salutes.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The singer, known for her powerhouse vocals and acrobatic stage shows, dipped her toe into hosting duties back in March by guest-hosting The Kelly Clarkson Show.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Labrinth, the British singer and songwriter whose ethereal vocals have served as Euphoria’s musical identity, will not feature in Season Three of the HBO hit, Rolling Stone has confirmed.—
Shirley Halperin,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ballads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballads. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
