dancing

verb

present participle of dance
1
as in stepping
to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music she can't resist dancing to her favorite rock bands

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in darting
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 dancing Temwa Chawinga, who plays for the Kansas City Current in the NWSL, logged her fifth goal of the tournament, dancing around falling Algerian goalkeeper Chloe N’Gazi and scoring into the open net in first-half stoppage time. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 Totality also brought glimpses of pinkish-red prominences—fountains of plasma arcing above the sun’s surface, dancing at the moon’s edge. — Claire Cameron & Lee Billings, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026 From electric live performances and iconic stage sets to crowds dancing under fog, these images highlight the vibrant spirit of the weekend. — Ray Chavez, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 But sometimes, the editing steps outside that space – for instance, showing us all the players dancing, but omitting the music they’re being fed via earwig. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026 When people were dancing at gay clubs and tipping drag queens in June, that was actually during National LGBTQ+ Pride Month. — Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026 Powell and Randolph were first linked after they were seen dancing together in Powell’s hometown of Austin, Texas, in a TikTok video. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026 The Rolling Stones star, who just turned 83 in late July, shared a video on his Instagram of himself dancing with his hands up under a disco ball in what appears to be a club. — Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 Married couple Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita are dancing into the microseries space. — Peter White, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dancing
  1. stepping
  2. darting
  3. strutting
  4. flitting
  5. shuffling
  6. fluttering
  7. flicking
  8. flying
Verb
  • There’s literally no stepping away from the table for a classic Below Deck mid-dinner conversation.
    — Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Joan Jett is stepping away from the stage after suffering a serious injury that required surgery.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of stepping
Verb
  • Esparza plays the unhinged tyrant with a quickness, his bright eyes darting and weaving with each newfangled notion.
    — Christopher Barnard, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Barcelona forward is a different option to Solanke with his ability in tight spaces and desire to stretch the defensive line with darting runs in-behind.
    — Thom Harris, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of darting
Verb
  • Others are employing the old-fashioned strategy deployed by their parents, strutting up to storefronts with resume in hand and elevator pitch memorized.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Weeks before losing a three-year fight with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer, on Wednesday, the 26-year-old was defiantly strutting her stuff at the Mondrian South Beach Hotel.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of strutting
Verb
  • Upon further review of the camera footage, Sam Gough, a park supervisor for the Incline Village General Improvement District, said the light appeared to be just a bug flitting across the lens.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • An airy, not-too-sweet vanilla like Taunt is the perfect encapsulation of a Gemini who’s always flitting from one topic of interest to the next.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 14 July 2026
Definition of flitting
Verb
  • Lyman and her family stood to leave, and although none of them spoke, the sound of more than 30 mourners shuffling out of a quiet room was enough to halt the court proceedings for a moment.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The results indicated continued progress in CVS' broader turnaround plan, which has involved cutting $2 billion in costs, closing underperforming stores, shuffling leadership and reducing costs within Medicare Advantage plans.
    — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of shuffling
Verb
  • For Arbaeen, the lights inside the shrine and the flags fluttering from its golden dome are switched to red – the color of vengeance.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Some people feel a racing heartbeat or fluttering in their chest.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of fluttering
Verb
  • Within a few minutes, Hutchinson has his mobile out, happily flicking through the screensavers.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • His violent men — Scott’s sinister dad and Melton’s sad one — light cigarettes by flicking matches on their ears and teeth.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of flicking
Verb
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on the other plane flying with the president, sources said.
    — Katherine Faulders, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Patrick Gotwalt was a passenger on the flight and recorded a video showing flames coming from the engine as the flight appears to be flying over water.
    — Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of flying

Browse Nearby Words

dances attendance (upon)
dancing
dancing attendance (upon)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dancing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dancing. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dancing

Nglish: Translation of dancing for Spanish Speakers

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