musical 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmyü-zi-kəl How to pronounce musical (audio)
Definition of musicalnext
1
as in melodic
having a pleasantly flowing quality suggestive of music the musical sounds of the babbling brook

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in symphonic
having a pleasing mixture of notes the song of the skylark has been celebrated for being especially musical

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

musical

2 of 2

noun

as in comedy

Related Words

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 musical
Adjective
Mona starts out as a relatively ordinary woman who decides on a whim to audition for a local production of fictional musical Nosy Neighbors. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 7 Sep. 2026 Will a Bad Bunny Broadway musical be the next step in the Puerto Rican rapper's EGOT journey? — Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
An underrated musical based on a book-length poem about scandalous behavior in early Hollywood is enough of a reason to check out the season-ending show at Playhouse on Park. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026 The Lyric Theater, which was built in the 1920s as a silent movie house, regularly hosts plays, musicals, and performances from big-name talent in its grand, 500-seat theater. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for musical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for musical
  1. melodic
  2. symphonic
  3. comedy
  4. lyrical
  5. melodrama
  6. lyric
  7. tragicomedy
  8. musical comedy
Adjective
  • Metalcore band brings gothic imagery, industrial influences and melodic elements.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Its core 1970s grinding yet melodic bluesy approach didn’t shift when synthesizers became the rage in the 1980s or when grunge overtook the rock world in the 1990s.
    — Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of melodic
Adjective
  • This match has the potential to be symphonic, with Bartůňková’s swashbuckling attack meeting Andreeva’s counterpunching durability.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • So although the Torcal can be quite quiet, its default setting is more symphonic.
    — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of symphonic
Noun
  • Eisenberg’s playful comedy, which just premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, is sometimes a musical and occasionally a thriller.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • When Fyodor drags himself on the floor, begging for forgiveness or a bit more money to play roulette, the gesture straddles the line between humor and intense discomfort — veering into cringe comedy.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of comedy
Adjective
  • Making Shakespeare’s plays accessible is a noble goal, but there are other ways to go about this beyond modernizing the text and diluting its lyrical beauty and nuance.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Even today Guadalajara's most forward-looking designers continue to experiment with these deeply rooted tropes, from the lyrical modulation of their city's radiant light to the proud application of local oficios.
    — Michael Snyder, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of lyrical
Noun
  • But Rossellini and Visconti, the latter a scion of the country’s aristocratic theater and opera traditions, also mined melodrama, historical epics, and more expressionist genres of filmmaking.
    — Erik Morse, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Many of today’s independent cinemas are being curated by a generation that grew up without theatrical access to Hong Kong action cinema, Filipino melodrama, or Taiwanese New Cinema.
    — José Salazar, IndieWire, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of melodrama
Adjective
  • Entertainment Weekly reached out to Grande’s reps for comment at the time of the initial lyric changes.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Madonna asked the crowd — before the studio version rolled out in the days that followed, complete with lyric videos featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the Amsterdam event.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of lyric
Noun
  • Carys made her professional stage debut in June, playing Nina in Anton Chekhov’s tragicomedy The Seagull in Brooklyn.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
  • That’s what appears to be the case with Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, who first met in 1992 on the set of romantic tragicomedy Jamón Jamón.
    — Alessandra De Tommasi, Vanity Fair, 5 July 2026
Definition of tragicomedy
Noun
  • The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, meanwhile, is Parton’s 1982 musical comedy with Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Aug. 2026
  • On Halloween night in 1995, the musical comedy aired on TV for the first time, as part of a celebration on VH1.
    — Vanessa Franko, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of musical comedy

Browse Nearby Words

mushy
musical
musical comedies
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Cite this Entry

“Musical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/musical. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on musical

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about musical

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