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
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Recent Examples of ballads
And the violent scenes aren’t grotesque or didactic — think of Miles’ muted trumpet sound reconfigured as resurrection visuals, of his ability to play and stage ballads so well that their uptempo momentum moves into territories too macabre to mute.
—
Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Within hours of El Mencho’s death there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing.
—CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
Within hours of El Mencho's death there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing.
—CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Within hours of El Mencho's death there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Over six feet tall and skinny, with a mass of reddish curls, Fleming leaps and bounds across stage while delivering riffs on the bitmoji skills of baby boomers, ballads dedicated to deceased chain craft store Joann’s Fabrics, and Celine Dion’s gamer sons.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026
From tender ballads to barn-burning breakdowns, experience the raw virtuosity and close-harmony storytelling of bluegrass elevated by the rich, full sound of the Pops.
—Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Feb. 2026
Arranged and produced by the artist herself along with her husband and guitarist, Paolo Carta, the song showcases a more provocative and refreshing side of the Italian superstar, better known in the Spanish-speaking world for her pop anthems and romantic ballads.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2026
Those ballads offer an avenue for getting in touch with grief that may prove for local audiences the most valuable element of experiencing this fine production.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Within hours of El Mencho’s death there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing.
—CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
Within hours of El Mencho's death there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing.
—CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Within hours of El Mencho's death there were already ballads, known as narcocorridos, written about his killing.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Over six feet tall and skinny, with a mass of reddish curls, Fleming leaps and bounds across stage while delivering riffs on the bitmoji skills of baby boomers, ballads dedicated to deceased chain craft store Joann’s Fabrics, and Celine Dion’s gamer sons.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026
From tender ballads to barn-burning breakdowns, experience the raw virtuosity and close-harmony storytelling of bluegrass elevated by the rich, full sound of the Pops.
—Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Feb. 2026
Arranged and produced by the artist herself along with her husband and guitarist, Paolo Carta, the song showcases a more provocative and refreshing side of the Italian superstar, better known in the Spanish-speaking world for her pop anthems and romantic ballads.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 20 Feb. 2026
Those ballads offer an avenue for getting in touch with grief that may prove for local audiences the most valuable element of experiencing this fine production.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballads
Noun
-
The creatives focused on being true to the concepts and emotion of the songs rather than direct translations of the lyrics.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Nine of his songs have landed on the Billboard Hot 100 — an impressive feat for any regional Mexican artist.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Instead, the words written in her autobiography served as the guide for the two-hour service filled with hymns and scriptures, as Christ Episcopal Church rector Father Jonathan Archer read a passage from the book which was published in 2000 during her memorial on Friday.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Accompanied by ringing bells, ethereal music and chanting hymns, the priests gracefully moved their arms in unison, holding up various flaming brass lamps during the 45-minute serene and powerful ritual.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The creatives focused on being true to the concepts and emotion of the songs rather than direct translations of the lyrics.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
His lyrics detail a process of active healing, gesturing at a contentedness that beds in as your 20 begin to wane.—
Liam Inscoe-Jones,
Pitchfork,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Lulu, whose big numbers are anthems of empowerment and friendship, is given room to really shine in this show, and Abraham does.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Arranged and produced by the artist herself along with her husband and guitarist, Paolo Carta, the song showcases a more provocative and refreshing side of the Italian superstar, better known in the Spanish-speaking world for her pop anthems and romantic ballads.—
Natalia Cano,
Billboard,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Yet Fedi pushed her to cut the tune live with just her on vocals and Pollack on piano.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Producer Kid Harpoon uses Disco’s busy drums (often from Tom Skinner of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood’s the Smile) to meet pinging bass and melodic elements that systematically stack underneath Styles’s vocals.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ballads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballads. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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