1
as in instrumentalists
a person who plays a musical instrument
the violinist was a famous and exquisitely talented musician
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in composers
a person who writes musical compositions
that musician is known for having written music that is very difficult to perform
Synonyms & Similar 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 musicians
The film is debuting at the annual festival with other documentaries featuring fellow musicians, including Earth, Wind & Fire, Peter Frampton, and Alicia Keys.
—
Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 9 June 2026
The American Federation of Musicians (AFM), a union for session musicians, is suing Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Music Group (WMG) for breaching their collective bargaining agreement over use of their music by AI programs.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 8 June 2026
Live musicians, live actors… and all those terrific kids are shoving the furniture around all night as well.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 8 June 2026
For Black musicians, this often means softening hard or sharp edges with safe, major-key chords.
—Ahmir “questlove” Thompson, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026
This month, Young MC, Martina McBride, the Commodores, Morris Day and Bret Michaels were among the musicians who canceled their performances shortly after they were announced by Freedom 250.
—Arkansas Online, 7 June 2026
There are also interviews with musicians like Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, and Flea.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2026
Signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, Black Music Month recognizes the cultural and historical significance of Black musicians.
—Kaley Fedko, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Fans get to know actors, musicians and directors beyond surface level because Poehler approaches each conversation from a more personal perspective, instead of strictly professional.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 9 June 2026
The American Federation of Musicians (AFM), a union for session musicians, is suing Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Music Group (WMG) for breaching their collective bargaining agreement over use of their music by AI programs.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 8 June 2026
Live musicians, live actors… and all those terrific kids are shoving the furniture around all night as well.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 8 June 2026
For Black musicians, this often means softening hard or sharp edges with safe, major-key chords.
—Ahmir “questlove” Thompson, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026
This month, Young MC, Martina McBride, the Commodores, Morris Day and Bret Michaels were among the musicians who canceled their performances shortly after they were announced by Freedom 250.
—Arkansas Online, 7 June 2026
There are also interviews with musicians like Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, and Flea.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2026
Signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, Black Music Month recognizes the cultural and historical significance of Black musicians.
—Kaley Fedko, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Fans get to know actors, musicians and directors beyond surface level because Poehler approaches each conversation from a more personal perspective, instead of strictly professional.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for musicians
Noun
-
On Saturday there were nearly 400 student instrumentalists and vocalists one time or another on stage at Disney, members of a large symphony orchestra, a concert orchestra, a big band, a mariachi ensemble and the Titan Banda Oaxaquena.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
Asake’s last live outing in North America was his Red Bull Symphonic concert, which transformed many of his fan favorites into reworked orchestral versions backed by classical instrumentalists and Nigerian talking drummers alike.—
Emanuel Okusanya,
Variety,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Along with Gioachino Rossini and Gaetano Donizetti, Bellini is part of a Mount Rushmore–like triptych of nineteenth-century Italian composers invoked whenever beautiful singing—bel canto—becomes an object of faith.—
Arya Roshanian,
The New York Review of Books,
6 June 2026
-
Conducted by Carlos Vieu, the event features an attractive lineup of international works by composers Carl Nielsen, Alberto Ginastera and Dmitri Shostakovich.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Additionally, Altos de Chavón, a stunning Mediterranean-style amphitheater, is the perfect place to enjoy concerts by major international artists.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
-
In recent years, drag has been positioned as a cultural lightning rod as part of a right-wing political effort to paint drag artists as depraved actors out to pervert gender norms, especially for children.—
David Mack,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Musicians.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/musicians. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
