chant

1 of 2

verb

ˈchant How to pronounce chant (audio)
chanted; chanting; chants
Synonyms of chantnext

intransitive verb

1
: to make melodic sounds with the voice
especially : to sing a chant
2
: to recite something in a monotonous repetitive tone
protesters were chanting outside

transitive verb

1
: to utter as in chanting
2
: to celebrate or praise in song or chant

chant

2 of 2

noun

1
: song sense 1
2
a
: plainsong
b
: a rhythmic monotonous utterance or song
c
: a composition for chanting

Synonyms of chant

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Verb

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Examples of chant in a Sentence

Verb The crowd began chanting her name. They chanted “Sara, Sara” until she came back on stage. Protesters were chanting outside the governor's home. They were chanting in Arabic. Priests chanted the Catholic Mass in Latin. Noun Our chant was “Peace now, peace now!”. Chant is often used as a form of meditation and prayer.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
According to the Key of the Gulf account, the Africans sang and chanted, performing their native ceremony on a beach almost 7,000 miles from their homes. — Victoria Davies, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026 First, the Huskies mixed it up with some marching band members on the practice field outside of Huskie Stadium, jumping in on a routine and exchanging fight songs, with the players chanting, clapping and pumping their fists during their version. — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
As Guerrero rounded the bases and returned to the plate Wednesday, chants broke out in the crowd. — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Hundreds of residents returned to the streets the following day, marching toward the Trampolín and Benítez beach areas where migrants were camped and repeating the same chant, according to EFE. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chant

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English chaunten, from Anglo-French chanter, from Latin cantare, frequentative of canere to sing; akin to Old English hana rooster, Old Irish canid he sings

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of chant was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing chant

Rhymes for chant

See All Rhymes for chant

Browse Nearby Words

chanst
chant
chantable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chant. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

chant

1 of 2 verb
ˈchant How to pronounce chant (audio)
1
: to sing especially in the way a chant is sung
2
: to recite or speak with no change in tone
chanter noun

chant

2 of 2 noun
1
: a melody in which several words or syllables are sung in one tone
2
: something spoken in the style of a chant
Etymology

Verb

Middle English chaunten "to chant," from early French chanter (same meaning), derived from Latin canere "to sing" — related to cant entry 3, cantata, chantey, charm

More from Merriam-Webster on chant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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