DANCES Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

dances 1 of 2

noun

plural of dance

as in proms

a social gathering for dancing who are you taking to the dance on Saturday night?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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dances

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dance

as in steps

to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music she can't resist dancing to her favorite rock bands

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in darts

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 dances

Noun

The eight-minute short — in which a Parisian man with a facial disfigurement named Marcel dances hopefully in his apartment every night awaiting a non-existent companion — is in fact the brainchild of one Robert Gaudette. —

Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 Before there were TikTok dances and social media trends, there was Grease! —

Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026 Seeing the rhythms, music and dances of so many heritages come together in one vibrant celebration. —

Anna Alejo, CBS News, 14 June 2026 Their shows are driven by a physicality both intricately choreographed and fizzily chaotic, tightness and looseness alternating — even somehow overlapping — in a rolling series of lazzi and dances, fistfights and slapstick routines. —

Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 June 2026 Attendees enjoyed classic dishes like pancit and lumpia alongside musical performances and traditional folk dances by legacy Filipino American cultural organizations from across the South Bay. —

Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 13 June 2026 This is the only place in North America where Native American dances are performed every weekend. —

Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 Stunts like these are common in the robotics industry, with plenty of examples of humanoids being made to perform elaborate dances, execute fearsome martial arts moves, and play other sports like basketball. —

Frank Landymore, Futurism, 10 June 2026 Strutting across the stage, hitting little dances, casting sharp looks into the camera, unleashing primal Auto-screams—Jane Remover was confident at Gov Ball. —

Mano Sundaresan, Pitchfork, 10 June 2026

Verb

Listen to the supple bass line, which dances throughout the song as its own character. —

Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 June 2026 This stubbornly optimistic place, where family after family scrapes and claws and laughs and dances their way to a better tomorrow. —

Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 18 June 2026 The truffle vinaigrette drizzled atop imparts an earthy aroma and complexity that dances with the lobster and wagyu’s profiles. —

Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 This week, Olivia Rodrigo dances her way into her sweetheart’s arms on a standout from You Seem Pretty Sad, New York rockers Interpol offer a first look into their new album, and L’Rain alchemizes distortion and harmony on an avalanche of a track. —

Rolling Stone, 12 June 2026 And Floyd Smernitch dances plenty. —

Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 June 2026 Demi Remick, who currently dances alongside a live iteration of the YouTube sensation Postmodern Jukebox, is adapting Eleanor Powell’s solos from Hollywood’s Golden Age. —

Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026 The food dances seamlessly between Asian flavors, pulling inspiration from Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and more, and local ingredients from the Gulf South. —

Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026 Guided by the imperious voiceover of family matriarch Ann (Francis Annis), Soames chases after the lovely Irene (Millie Gibson), who scandalously dances ballet and wants to go to Paris. —

Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dances

Noun

Their stores specialize in dresses for proms, weddings, special occasions and quinceañeras.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
That philosophy extends across the property and informs its relationship with the local community, many of whom experienced the hotel through proms, weddings and milestone events over the decades.

— Jesse Scott, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026