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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ballads
Swift is known for her devastating track five ballads.
—
Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
The wedding ballads can wait; this nasty jam should still get the dancefloor packed in the meantime.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2025
The 12-track collection of breezy pop songs and narrative ballads features Swift sharing - sometimes oversharing - about her life and feelings.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
McRae has also made progress carving out an artistic identity—trading downhearted power ballads for sleek, club‑ready cuts that blend R&B, hip‑hop, and dance‑pop.
—Rachel Brodsky, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Coraline’s poppy swells and power ballads.
—Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
Her ballads were torch-song interludes that could have knocked them dead in lounges a century ago.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2025
The Golden Melody Award winner is known for his powerful vocals across multiple genres including rock, ballads, and jazz.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
Whether leading her trio through sultry ballads or high-energy swing numbers, Riketté always delivers a performance that’s both nostalgic and fresh.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
The wedding ballads can wait; this nasty jam should still get the dancefloor packed in the meantime.
—Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2025
The 12-track collection of breezy pop songs and narrative ballads features Swift sharing - sometimes oversharing - about her life and feelings.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
McRae has also made progress carving out an artistic identity—trading downhearted power ballads for sleek, club‑ready cuts that blend R&B, hip‑hop, and dance‑pop.
—Rachel Brodsky, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Coraline’s poppy swells and power ballads.
—Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
Her ballads were torch-song interludes that could have knocked them dead in lounges a century ago.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2025
The Golden Melody Award winner is known for his powerful vocals across multiple genres including rock, ballads, and jazz.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
Whether leading her trio through sultry ballads or high-energy swing numbers, Riketté always delivers a performance that’s both nostalgic and fresh.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballads
Noun
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Why does one hard working fan have to buy seven different versions of an album instead of just having all of the songs be on one complete album?—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
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One of Lipa’s most significant attributes is the husky tone of her mezzo-soprano, lending a gritty roughness to her songs’ pop polish.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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On Saturday nights, when the Jewish Sabbath ends, Elia chants the zemirot, the traditional table hymns.—
Eli Sharabi,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
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Attendees bowed their head in prayer and sang along to hymns, while posters of Kirk lined the seats.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Some of Swift's best work comes from her self-deprecating moods, and this track, with its self-loathing but super catchy lyrics, is no exception.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
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As for the lyrics that Swifties are connecting to Kelce and Nicole's tense interaction?—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The alt-rock band was in fine form throughout the 90-minute, 18-song set which was chockful of soaring anthems dating back to the 2000s.—
George A. Paul,
Oc Register,
27 Sep. 2025
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Vie delivers a few of the most believable throwback anthems of the year.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Its speakers also improved, providing clearer vocals and deeper bass than before.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Oct. 2025
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Written by Morello, the song features his haunting vocals and signature captivating guitar riffs.—
Natalia Cano,
Billboard,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ballads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballads. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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