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
One dance number that fans are already looking forward to is Julia Stiles and Ezra Sosa's performance. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 As Minneapolis residents and businesses continue to feel the effects of Operation Metro Surge, a new city initiative is creating opportunities for people to reconnect through music and dance. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
The two started dancing and the man asked Lara’s friend to go up to his room. — Taylor Galgano, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026 Swank shared a video showing four glow-in-the-dark stick figures dancing, one of whom is pregnant. — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 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 goal is to show off how the high school gym has transformed into a high school prom, with all the stars and tinsel that implies.
    — Alex Zalben, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Who are the other girls in the room, and who sent those other girls to the prom, and why?
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • The 5-foot-11 UConn product is Golden State’s leading scorer and has stepped it up even further in the playoffs, averaging almost 23 points per game.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • At first glance, the surface appears solid, but stepping onto a quaking bog feels like walking on a vast, trembling waterbed.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of step
Verb
  • On the next drive, Ford took the snap and bobbled it before securing the ball and darting around the edge to run for a five-yard touchdown.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Wild guanacos—llama-like camelids with dark-red fur—darted across the road.
    — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • Hundreds had gathered at the arena for a festival celebrating horse racing and Mexican culture.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The two-day music festival runs through early Sunday morning and was expecting about 40,000 fans each day.
    — Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of festival
Verb
  • Those who thought the Los Angeles Dodgers and their massive payroll were going to waltz into Milwaukee and run over the Brewers were wrong.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • From Hannah Brown to Joey Graziadei to Tyler Cameron, Dancing With the Stars has seen more than a few Bachelor Nation alums waltz their way through the competition, but there’s a reason JoJo Fletcher hasn’t made it to the dance floor… yet.
    — Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of waltz
Verb
  • Stellantis There's also all the homologation and regulatory hurdles attached to having something that flits between being a passenger-car and a light truck.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Multiple anglers reeled in yellowfin tuna, which were visible through the clear water flitting back and forth near the boat.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of flit
Noun
  • The numbers have grown as well, ballooning to around 5,000 during the height of the semiquincentennial celebration.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The farm's latest maze pays tribute to country music legend Dolly Parton, combining a fall favorite with a celebration of the singer's music and philanthropy.
    — Alexa Liacko, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of celebration
Verb
  • Kering is starting to clean house, having already shuffled creative directors at Gucci, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta.
    — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Green tea was served by gang members shuffling around in slippers.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dance

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