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
About 15 players were doing the dance, the Electric Slide, to the song by the same title on Wednesday when the media entered the locker room. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 Movement is at the heart of every episode, giving children opportunities to jump, dance, imagine and express themselves in their own way. — Selome Hailu, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
The clips of the event that surfaced show male dancers in cowboy hats dancing and stripping on stage, reports the Daily Mail. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Teddy bears and trains, baseballs and dolls dance through the air into Santa's enormous sack, which sits at Santa's feet, or rather Harry's, who is perched high on the throne at the back of the float, magnificent in white whiskers and red velvet. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 Oct. 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
  • Despite burning down prom in Prime Video‘s Carrie, the titular telekinetic teen still got to dance a little, thanks to Mike Flanagan‘s big finale needle drop.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The goal is to show off how the high school gym has transformed into a high school prom, with all the stars and tinsel that implies.
    — Alex Zalben, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • The 5-foot-11 UConn product is Golden State’s leading scorer and has stepped it up even further in the playoffs, averaging almost 23 points per game.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • At first glance, the surface appears solid, but stepping onto a quaking bog feels like walking on a vast, trembling waterbed.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of step
Verb
  • On the next drive, Ford took the snap and bobbled it before securing the ball and darting around the edge to run for a five-yard touchdown.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Wild guanacos—llama-like camelids with dark-red fur—darted across the road.
    — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • Hundreds had gathered at the arena for a festival celebrating horse racing and Mexican culture.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The two-day music festival runs through early Sunday morning and was expecting about 40,000 fans each day.
    — Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 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
  • Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, flit between the two productions.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Stellantis There's also all the homologation and regulatory hurdles attached to having something that flits between being a passenger-car and a light truck.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of flit
Noun
  • Members of the dance group Danzantes Unidos Mitotiliztli performed in October 2025 during a Dia de los Muertos celebration offered by Athziry Día de Muertos and the city of Aurora at East Aurora High School.
    — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The former center grabbed headlines in March for commenting on a Rangers loss that coincided with the team’s Pride Night celebration.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of celebration
Verb
  • Offensive line shuffled up Dykes said in earlier in the week that TCU looked at everything throughout the program during the 2-3 start and would make the necessary adjustments to try and turn things around.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Uribe shuffled off the mound, and the crowd at American Family Field roared.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 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 24 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dance

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