as in ballads
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment
a recording artist who arranges his own vocals
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Recent Examples of vocals
Next to him, his little brother Aidan Raya-García, 17, helped with back-up vocals.
—
Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2026
Produced by Haze and The Rudeboyz, the song is a modern-day reggaetón track fused with hard-hitting perreo melodies backed by Calderón and Álvarez’s melodious vocals.
—Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2026
Two cuts feature Shabaka’s vocals alongside his music.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2026
Her vocals are so elegant and the band’s playing is so classy.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
In addition to the voice cast, KPop Demon Hunters turned the recording artists behind the characters' vocals — namely EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — into stars through numerous chart-topping songs off the wildly popular soundtrack.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
The algorithm also enhances live vocals using a feature called Voice Boost that reduces echo and noise, adds reverb, and adjusts, corrects, and boosts a performer’s pitch in real time.
—Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 12 Mar. 2026
David Mirkovic is on vocals … or at least the loudest one.
—Cj Moore, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
In testing, the ominous backbeat drove the track, while the screeching riffs and vocals stood against it.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2026
Produced by Haze and The Rudeboyz, the song is a modern-day reggaetón track fused with hard-hitting perreo melodies backed by Calderón and Álvarez’s melodious vocals.
—Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2026
Two cuts feature Shabaka’s vocals alongside his music.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2026
Her vocals are so elegant and the band’s playing is so classy.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
In addition to the voice cast, KPop Demon Hunters turned the recording artists behind the characters' vocals — namely EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — into stars through numerous chart-topping songs off the wildly popular soundtrack.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
The algorithm also enhances live vocals using a feature called Voice Boost that reduces echo and noise, adds reverb, and adjusts, corrects, and boosts a performer’s pitch in real time.
—Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 12 Mar. 2026
David Mirkovic is on vocals … or at least the loudest one.
—Cj Moore, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
In testing, the ominous backbeat drove the track, while the screeching riffs and vocals stood against it.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vocals
Noun
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One fan’s decision to belt out power ballads instead of just screaming during Stanford’s free throws at the ACC Tournament has turned into the most shareable fan moment heading into March Madness.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
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Born into an Ecuadorian-Guatemalan family, Southern California’s Trish Toledo first began signing cumbias and ballads before falling head-over-heels for the timeless pop, R&B and soul recordings from the ’60s and ’70s.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Where Beyoncé added poetic interludes between songs, in Songs from the Hole, the audience learns about Jacobs' story and how his music spiritually liberates him while simultaneously being among the reasons officials cited for not granting him parole.—
Kara Frame,
NPR,
12 Mar. 2026
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Drug Church usually drop songs about down-on-their luck kids, blue collar strivers, and jealous folks intent on dragging their compatriots down.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Her borderland upbringing in El Paso has also shaped her Spanglish lyrics.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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The letters consist of scripts, shot lists and lyrics.—
Kara Frame,
NPR,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Instead, the words written in her autobiography served as the guide for the two-hour service filled with hymns and scriptures, as Christ Episcopal Church rector Father Jonathan Archer read a passage from the book which was published in 2000 during her memorial on Friday.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
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Accompanied by ringing bells, ethereal music and chanting hymns, the priests gracefully moved their arms in unison, holding up various flaming brass lamps during the 45-minute serene and powerful ritual.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vocals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vocals. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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