dance 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dancenext
as in prom
a social gathering for dancing who are you taking to the dance on Saturday night?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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dance

2 of 2

verb

ˈdan(t)s How to pronounce dance (audio)
1
as in to step
to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music she can't resist dancing to her favorite rock bands

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to dart
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements the lithe boxer danced around the ring, staying just out of the reach of his opponent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dance
Noun
Unitree, the first humanoid robotics maker to go public on a mainland Chinese exchange, has won global attention with its humanoid and quadruped robots that can run, dance and do backflips and kung fu. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2026 The song traveled far beyond its original young audience, spawning dance challenges, merchandise, television content and other projects and turning Pinkfong into a recognizable entertainment brand around the world. — Hakyung Kate Lee, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
Temwa Chawinga, who plays for the Kansas City Current in the NWSL, logged her fifth goal of the tournament, dancing around falling Algerian goalkeeper Chloe N’Gazi and scoring into the open net in first-half stoppage time. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 Totality also brought glimpses of pinkish-red prominences—fountains of plasma arcing above the sun’s surface, dancing at the moon’s edge. — Claire Cameron & Lee Billings, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dance
  1. prom
  2. step
  3. dart
  4. festival
  5. waltz
  6. flit
  7. celebration
  8. shuffle
Noun
  • At her senior prom, a crown was placed on Cheryl’s flaming red hair.
    — Dateline NBC, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Two teenagers are taking their creativity to the next level with impressive prom dress and prom tux creations, both made out of duct tape.
    — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • Hawks assistant general manager Kyle Korver has stepped away from the organization, according to a person familiar with the situation.
    — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Zoe’s introduction is also step one of a pretty funny set of small-town reveals, the next of which is the defense attorney who comes to Hal’s aid in court the next morning, Billy Macon (Jason Ritter).
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of step
Verb
  • Other textiles in the house were found in India, Egypt, and Kuwait, where Consuelo bought a Bedouin tent, soon to be installed among the fig, persimmon, and pomegranate trees—and the darting lizards—in the gardens.
    — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2026
  • This conversation was taking place in Jaya Aunty’s living room, and Nidhi’s eyes kept darting about.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • The period, which usually falls between July and August, is dedicated to the worship of Hindu god Lord Shiva and is marked by fasting, prayers and colorful monsoon festivals across India.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Full of music, dance, and vibrant colors, thousands of people gathered to attend the annual Boston Dominican parade and festival on Sunday afternoon.
    — Paul Burton, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of festival
Verb
  • Jey Uso lost to Oba Femi and decided to waltz over to SmackDown to try to get a shot at Zayn’s title.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
  • Sweden waltzed to a 5-1 victory against Tunisia in its opener, with its forward line of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres capitalizing on some poor defending.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
Definition of waltz
Verb
  • By the front door, a hummingbird repeatedly flitted to the tubular magenta blooms of the Salvia spathacea.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Both Kroupi and Alvarez flit between centre-forward and second-striker roles during matches.
    — Art de Roché, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of flit
Noun
  • Caterham and her family are marking her milestone birthday this year with a private celebration, according to Guinness World Records.
    — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The boat ride was part of a birthday celebration, a law enforcement official told CNN.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of celebration
Verb
  • Canden Arciniega shuffled on the hot granite terrace on a mid-August morning, counting the names on her list.
    — Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Keeping your eye on Bredeson is as hard as tracking a ball beneath shuffling cups.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of shuffle

Phrases Containing dance

Browse Nearby Words

dam (up)
dance
dance attendance (upon)
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Cite this Entry

“Dance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dance. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dance

Nglish: Translation of dance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dance

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