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

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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
There are a lot of warehouses where there are dance parties and after-hours and raves. — Joe Lynch, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2026 The good news is this may not be the last of Yamazaki’s dance with Godzilla as the ending leaves room for a third edition, which considering the artistic and crowd- pleasing success of the first two is something to look forward to. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2026
Verb
Everyone had to keep dancing and try not to laugh while the actors said their lines. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026 The Jamaican musical style grew from an encounter between African and European traditions, and its banjos, guitars, hand percussion, and rumba boxes accompanied dancing, drinking, storytelling, and songs about life’s daily irritations. — Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 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
  • Murray rocked a royal rewear of his Prince Charming costume from the teen rom com, escorting his wife Sarah Roemer to a prom at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County oncology department.
    — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026
  • In August 2017, Kate shared a throwback photo of the two of them attending prom together in their teenage years.
    — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • De Goede scored her second bounding over a ruck, prop DaLeaka Menin scored in a lineout drive, and fullback Savannah Bauder stepped two defenders in a 55-meter solo try to make it 31-17.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Betkowski temporarily stepped away from the role in 1978 and returned to California for a couple months to receive psychiatric treatment at the then-UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of step
Verb
  • Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and her challenger Nithya Raman darted across the city over the weekend, foraging for votes as the clock ticks down before Tuesday’s election.
    — Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Surfaces glow with darting light, the beehive smoke and silhouettes and flickering neon lulls the viewer to a state conducive to such pondering.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • Public pressure for access was fostered by Orange Audubon that co-sponsored the Birdapalooza festival that introduced the North Shore.
    — Deborah Green, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Maniatty finds hope in a growing group of independent festivals that are approaching accessibility as a core value.
    — Maribeth Romslo, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of festival
Verb
  • Those who thought the Los Angeles Dodgers and their massive payroll were going to waltz into Milwaukee and run over the Brewers were wrong.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • From Hannah Brown to Joey Graziadei to Tyler Cameron, Dancing With the Stars has seen more than a few Bachelor Nation alums waltz their way through the competition, but there’s a reason JoJo Fletcher hasn’t made it to the dance floor… yet.
    — Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of waltz
Verb
  • Fireflies flit along her path, guiding her toward the safety of her parents’ outstretched arms.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, flit between the two productions.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of flit
Noun
  • Sunday jazz brunches are something of a local institution, drawing Nairobi families for celebrations—the sign of a great city hotel.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Four months later, Peter reaches out to an estranged Wendy with an invitation to his annual Scary New Year celebration at his parents’ remote cabin.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of celebration
Verb
  • Findings of no effect tend to either be shuffled off to low-profile journals or left behind as unpublished lab lore.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026
  • For the most part, this was a second consecutive solid performance by a group that will likely undergo major personnel shuffling all season.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 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 7 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dance

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