dance 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dancenext
as in prom
a social gathering for dancing who are you taking to the dance on Saturday night?

Synonyms & Similar Words

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dance

2 of 2

verb

ˈdan(t)s How to pronounce dance (audio)
1
as in to step
to perform a series of usually rhythmic bodily movements to music she can't resist dancing to her favorite rock bands

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to dart
to make an irregular series of quick, sudden movements the lithe boxer danced around the ring, staying just out of the reach of his opponent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dance
Noun
Onwards and Sideways stars Laura Linney and Rhys Ifans as two people with a lot in common – a great sense of humor, a love of dance, and, as just diagnosed, Parkinson’s. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 The program is expected to launch in January with flexible, bi-monthly dance workshops for people with MS, their caregivers and family members. — Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
As far as remote destinations go, this is up there—125 miles shy of the Arctic Circle, where the summer sun never sets and winters are full of dancing Northern Lights and subzero temperatures (that extend well into May). — Michelle Tchea, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2026 He was born in 1970 to musicians who busked street corners around Memphis; while his father played guitar, his mother used to dance. — Stephen Deusner, SPIN, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dance
  1. prom
  2. step
  3. dart
  4. festival
  5. waltz
  6. flit
  7. celebration
  8. shuffle
Noun
  • The prom picture caught the attention of Garner's followers, with one fan calling on the actress to reunite with her former date and recreate the pose.
    — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The past year has been full of milestones for the mother, from Jade’s senior prom to her 18th birthday.
    — Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • The tennis ace stepped behind the club’s plush bar to serve his signature drink, Fritzy Spicy Margarita, and welcomed invitees with a rousing toast.
    — Paul Chi, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Messi, who was a superstar with European teams Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, is regarded as one of the greatest players to have stepped onto a soccer pitch.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of step
Verb
  • Late in the second period, freshman Emma Yokoi avoided a flag pull on a short, fourth-and-1 reception and darted 21 yards for a touchdown to push Newport Harbor’s lead to 13-0.
    — Dan Albano, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Golf carts dart around the island to drop guests at various outlets, but pathways are sandy, and there are steps to most of the restaurants, though beach rooms are all at floor level.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • The girl group had to bow out of Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival August 27 after Megan Skiendiel sprained her ankle.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The one-day festival, which raised $10 million for nonprofits supporting women and girls, arrives just weeks before Rodrigo launches her Unraveled Tour.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of festival
Verb
  • Jey Uso lost to Oba Femi and decided to waltz over to SmackDown to try to get a shot at Zayn’s title.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026
  • Sweden waltzed to a 5-1 victory against Tunisia in its opener, with its forward line of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres capitalizing on some poor defending.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
Definition of waltz
Verb
  • Behold the plight of the Ryan Murphy character, cursed to behave nonsensically and flit wildly from plotline to plotline based on the writer’s whims.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • City juggled negotiations with Gakpo and Ndiaye in the past seven days, enabling them to flit between the two depending on who was most desired or, in the event, most realistic.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of flit
Noun
  • Both posed with the actor's granddaughter, Melissa Talmadge Cox, who first met Fadem at another Keaton celebration ten years ago in Muskegon, Mich.
    — Brian Bull, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The eveningwear collection is designed for red carpets, galas, black-tie celebrations and other memorable occasions.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of celebration
Verb
  • For nearly a year and a half, he was shuffled around detention centers in Texas, Arizona, Louisiana and Florida, until arriving in the Alexandria International Airport in mid-August.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Yankees continued to shuffle their bullpen on Monday, claiming John Schreiber.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of shuffle

Phrases Containing dance

Browse Nearby Words

dam (up)
dance
dance attendance (upon)
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Cite this Entry

“Dance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dance. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dance

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