as in songs
a rhythmic series of musical tones arranged to give a pleasing effect
this week, we'll learn to play a more complicated melody on the saxophone
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Recent Examples of melodies
This is an album in which harsh, scraping sounds make sweet vocal melodies sound even sweeter, where that kindness of spirit may flicker but never quite fades away.
—
Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026
Oba Femi Inalpi Arena sang along to the melodies of Brock Lesnar’s iconic theme song.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
This is where Coleman works out the melodies and hooks for songs, which his friend since fifth grade, Michael Finster—who kids know as Bearhead—then produces to make the finished pieces.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 29 May 2026
His expansive sonic palette includes soaring anthems, tender ballads, and hard-driving dance tracks with a focus on thumping bass and earworm melodies.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
The women’s voices rose, gentle and emotive in unison, before splitting into two concordant melodies.
—Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
In the ensuing chaos, one of those two young men takes the stage, goaded on by his friend, and soon has the audience dancing to his melodies and words.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 22 May 2026
The ballad’s main features include a basic verse/chorus structure, slow tempo, lyrical melodic lines, rich harmonies, and accompaniment that support those melodies.
—Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 22 May 2026
And why in the world would anyone composing after the Second World War reëmbrace the long-irrelevant late-Romantic idiom of Puccini and Strauss, with its lush harmonies, rich orchestration, and powerful melodies?
—Russell Platt, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 1 June 2026
Oba Femi Inalpi Arena sang along to the melodies of Brock Lesnar’s iconic theme song.
—Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
This is where Coleman works out the melodies and hooks for songs, which his friend since fifth grade, Michael Finster—who kids know as Bearhead—then produces to make the finished pieces.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 29 May 2026
His expansive sonic palette includes soaring anthems, tender ballads, and hard-driving dance tracks with a focus on thumping bass and earworm melodies.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
The women’s voices rose, gentle and emotive in unison, before splitting into two concordant melodies.
—Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
In the ensuing chaos, one of those two young men takes the stage, goaded on by his friend, and soon has the audience dancing to his melodies and words.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 22 May 2026
The ballad’s main features include a basic verse/chorus structure, slow tempo, lyrical melodic lines, rich harmonies, and accompaniment that support those melodies.
—Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 22 May 2026
And why in the world would anyone composing after the Second World War reëmbrace the long-irrelevant late-Romantic idiom of Puccini and Strauss, with its lush harmonies, rich orchestration, and powerful melodies?
—Russell Platt, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for melodies
Noun
-
The show is still using some of those songs, giving the score’s relationship to the script a half-in, half-out near-jukebox feeling.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
-
Maya, like Bassichis, did an act that was a bit standup, a bit performance art, broken up by dreamy, oddball songs.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
Noun
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The decades-old smash, from perhaps the bestselling artist of all time, has never managed to conquer the list of the bestselling R&B-only tunes via platforms like iTunes.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
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Think Woodstock lodge meets the French Alps meets Williamsburg, Brooklyn in the winter where classic rock 'n' roll tunes from the likes of Springsteen and The Stones add to its cozy retro vibe.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Melodies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/melodies. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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