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
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
And the Miami Hurricanes are in the dance for the first time since their Final Four run three years ago.
—Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Mano Sundaresan, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
In the visual, Alejandro, Wizkid, and Rvssian sing from a large vintage house as their muses dance around them.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dance
Noun
Jung Kook threw down with Latto and Jack Harlow on Golden, while J-Hope got raw with Jack in the Box and his street-dance docuseries Hope on the Street.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
And the Miami Hurricanes are in the dance for the first time since their Final Four run three years ago.
—Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
Lowend pioneer Munch Lauren once told me that the reason Milwaukee beats sound like that—like the Energizer Bunny strapped to the drums, just a few ticks off from New Orleans bounce—is because folks would literally dance to bounce tracks in the clubs in the early 2010s.
—Mano Sundaresan, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
In the visual, Alejandro, Wizkid, and Rvssian sing from a large vintage house as their muses dance around them.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dance
Noun
-
What color dress did Neal Begovich’s date wear to his senior prom?—
Storey Wertheimer,
NBC news,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Fast forward 16 years, and members are in hiding in a sanctuary city in the forests of Northern California while life goes on for everyone else in the form of proms and getting stoned.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Indeed, the plot, as such, isn’t so much a narrative as a string of minor but incremental disasters that accrue after Carroll steps on a rusty nail in the back garden.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
-
And just a figurative trolley ride away, at the Heinz History Center, visitors can step inside the neighborhood itself, exploring original sets and props from the beloved series.—
Christopher DeRose,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
After their 24th loss in 34 home games, the Kings darted off to Salt Lake City for a date with the Utah Mammoth on Sunday.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Enright, on the right side, darted toward net along the goal line and ricocheted a shot off the post into the net to cap the scoring.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As Coloradans look ahead to a summer full of live music, concertgoers may want to travel beyond metro Denver for two high-profile festivals that will return to a scenic spot a couple of hours southwest of town.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Austin holds a huge festival every year but Texas is doing their partying elsewhere.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While this is a luxury resort, expect your fellow guests to be dressed in snowpants and ski boots more often than not—don’t be shy to waltz through the lobby in your long johns.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Which was why, at the very end, when Gordon tuned in on the wireless to a dance band and Robert was supposed to waltz Olwyn about the room, Stella had no patience with St Ives’s reaction to Geoffrey’s ten-second delay in putting on the gramophone record.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fittingly, Daniel Pemberton’s score has that same sense of free-ranging curiosity, flitting between genres at will.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Cloud shadows flit across its rock floor like ghost boats.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Schoolteachers are girding to address students’ questions, anger and confusion over a figure whose name and books are deeply embedded in state curriculum and celebrations.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Join us at the Four Seasons for a celebration where cuisine meets culture.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Stewart eventually shuffled out, commenting on how his bedhead resembled Little Richard’s.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2026
-
So what better way to cap all that off than closing out the Oscars — even if the clip played while the audience was shuffling out of the theater and calling their Ubers.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dance. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
