1
: a division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually recurring pattern of meter and rhyme : strophe
2
sports
: a period (such as a half or an inning) into which the duration of a game is divided
The game's prime moment wasn't the decisive and popular eighth-inning, two-run homer by Mark Bellhorn … but a sensational play by Boston's Manny Ramirez in the top of that same stanza.—
Roger Angell
Roger Angell
Examples of stanza in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Reuters reported that historians believe the Star Spangled Banner also included a defense of slavery in the third stanza, where Key wrote about sending slaves to their graves.
—Sarah Al-Arshani, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
The new Oxford edition, ever dutiful, treats us to the poet’s earnest envoi, its stanzas stiff with respectable yearning.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024
Dollar went 10 of 10 from the charity stripe and scored 14 points in the final stanza.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Mar. 2024
Over the final 16 minutes of the first stanza, the Tigers shot 8-of-27 from the field, including a stretch where the Tigers didn’t score a field goal for almost six minutes until Aidan Shaw snapped it on a driving layup.
—Jaden Lewis, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2024
Up 27-15, the Falcons staggered into a familiar run of unkind iron, helping the hosts scratch and crawl their way back via a 9-0 run over the final four minutes of the first stanza.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2024
Messi matched Luis Suarez’s two first-half goals by scoring twice in six minutes in the second stanza at Chase Stadium on Saturday evening.
—Franco Panizo, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2024
After a scoreless first period, each team tallied a power-play goal in the second stanza, taking a 1-1 tie into the third period.
—Jim Hoehn, Twin Cities, 29 Feb. 2024
The script, adapted by Ben Powers from Stefano Massini’s epic poem, unfurls in extravagant stanzas, occasionally taxing the considerable talents of the cast.
—Sophia Nguyen, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024
Sarah Al-Arshani, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
The new Oxford edition, ever dutiful, treats us to the poet’s earnest envoi, its stanzas stiff with respectable yearning.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024
Dollar went 10 of 10 from the charity stripe and scored 14 points in the final stanza.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Mar. 2024
Over the final 16 minutes of the first stanza, the Tigers shot 8-of-27 from the field, including a stretch where the Tigers didn’t score a field goal for almost six minutes until Aidan Shaw snapped it on a driving layup.
—Jaden Lewis, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2024
Up 27-15, the Falcons staggered into a familiar run of unkind iron, helping the hosts scratch and crawl their way back via a 9-0 run over the final four minutes of the first stanza.
—Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2024
Messi matched Luis Suarez’s two first-half goals by scoring twice in six minutes in the second stanza at Chase Stadium on Saturday evening.
—Franco Panizo, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2024
After a scoreless first period, each team tallied a power-play goal in the second stanza, taking a 1-1 tie into the third period.
—Jim Hoehn, Twin Cities, 29 Feb. 2024
The script, adapted by Ben Powers from Stefano Massini’s epic poem, unfurls in extravagant stanzas, occasionally taxing the considerable talents of the cast.
—Sophia Nguyen, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stanza.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Stanza.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stanza. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
stanza
noun
stan·za
ˈstan-zə 
: a division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually repeating pattern of rhythm and rhyme
More from Merriam-Webster on stanza
Nglish: Translation of stanza for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stanza
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