song and dance

as in rigamarole
language marked by abstractions, jargon, euphemisms, and circumlocutions instead of simply denying our request, the mayor's representative gave us a song and dance about legal issues and municipal liability

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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 song and dance Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and more beloved characters will line the streets with song and dance. Angel Saunders, People.com, 17 May 2025 Just in time for the real-life Eurovision Song Contest, the TARDIS takes a detour to the 2925 version of the annual song and dance jamboree. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 May 2025 During the four-day ceremony, the young lady transitions into adulthood through the blessings of song and dance. Alejandra Rubio, NPR, 29 Mar. 2025 On stage at the Parsons Theatre at Northglenn Arts, the actors help each other through song and dance, reinforcing the strength of the collective beyond any one lead. Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for song and dance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for song and dance
Noun
  • In the absence of evidence, Trump always rushes in with rhetoric.
    Chris Brennan, USA Today, 27 June 2025
  • In recent years, many of Ye’s public outbursts have had antisemitic rhetoric.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • Rather than directly discounting the TV by £200, Samsung is likely hoping that some people will be put off by the rigmarole of going through the claims process.
    Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
  • The bust was followed by months of prolonged legal rigmarole.
    John Semley, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The six-episode limited series feels like a long movie broken into arbitrary episodes, its ending is mired by digital gobbledygook, and Marvel still doesn’t know how magic makes sense in a universe ruled by advanced technology and literal gods.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 June 2025
  • As always, Yellowjackets is full of mind-bending detours, supernatural gobbledygook, and foliage-laden costumes.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Today's teen slang might seem like complete gibberish, but you may be surprised by how many terms echo phrases from the past.
    Annabelle Canela, Parents, 3 June 2025
  • Teachers have banned it from the classroom after kids disrupted lessons by reciting its signature gibberish, Parents reports.
    Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Song and dance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/song%20and%20dance. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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