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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?

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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

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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
These made up the backbone of most peoples’ days, though tea time, dance classes, screenings of documentaries, a chess tournament, trivia, and performances and formal nights in the evening kept everyone plenty busy. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026 And to top it off, yet another tropical cyclone, Odalys, could be drawn into a rare meteorological dance in the eastern Pacific with Polo known as the Fujiwhara Effect. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
Julia Stiles danced to a Dolly Parton classic during the Dancing With the Stars premiere. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026 Just like the guys, the gals danced to a top-charting song from the year they were born. — Colleen Kratofil, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 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
  • The prom picture caught the attention of Garner's followers, with one fan calling on the actress to reunite with her former date and recreate the pose.
    — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The past year has been full of milestones for the mother, from Jade’s senior prom to her 18th birthday.
    — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • Into the breach stepped Ashkan Karbasfrooshan, a Montreal technology entrepreneur and founder of Watch Mojo, a pop culture brand with 26 million subscribers on YouTube.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The mom-of-two—who shares 9-year-old twins Ella and Alexander with husband George Clooney—could be seen shaking hands with students, addressing a group of children, and stepping outside a building with a beverage in hand.
    — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of step
Verb
  • Thank you to the San Francisco Zoo for their expertise darting the lion and documenting the scene.
    — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Boley made the correct read, pulled the ball and darted around the left edge after the Jayhawks lost contain.
    — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • For the first year, the winner of the Platform Award that TIFF gives is instantly eligible for the Oscar International Film Award, no need for the film to be submitted by its home country—one of only six film festivals that offer this opportunity.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Outside, the sun was shining brightly, a crowd had gathered, and even Carmen Machi (who received the National Film Award at this festival) was peering out from the hotel’s rooftop.
    — Amaia Odriozola, Vanity Fair, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of festival
Verb
  • Of course don’t just waltz in anywhere without tickets or reservations—traveling in the off season still requires the usual due diligence as a traveler.
    — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of waltz
Verb
  • Guests flitted around, in and out of racks filled with Skims’s big apparel and underwear hitters, and making use of the Skims photobooth.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Hofmann gives this awkwardly sized puppet life, energy and voice, controlling its body while castmates flit in and out as the manipulators of its wings.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of flit
Noun
  • The dinner capped a long, but friendly, day of meetings and celebrations, as the world’s two most powerful leaders seek to settle trade differences while simultaneously thawing the icy relationship between the United States and China.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Beginning with a full museum activation on Thursday, the celebrations extend through the rest of the weekend, both at the museum's National Mall home and The Wharf, located along the historic Washington Channel of the Potomac River.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of celebration
Verb
  • The video, made in collaboration with faceless director Lauzza, features buildings shuffling on beat and other excerpts of British culture.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Senate Leadership Fund, the main GOP Senate super PAC, also shuffled some of its reservations, removing $900,000 in broadcast buys in the state while adding $400,000 in digital ads.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 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 26 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dance

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