boogie-woogie

noun

boo·​gie-woo·​gie ˌbu̇-gē-ˈwu̇-gē How to pronounce boogie-woogie (audio)
ˌbü-gē-ˈwü-gē
: a percussive style of playing blues on the piano characterized by a steady rhythmic ground bass of eighth notes in quadruple time and a series of improvised melodic variations

Examples of boogie-woogie in a Sentence

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.
The duo will perform jazz classics, boogie-woogie and show tunes. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2025 Ian Stewart’s energetic boogie-woogie piano style rounded out the sound. — Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 Recordings cover the entire musical spectrum, including jazz, blues, ragtime, bluegrass, boogie-woogie, country, rock and pop. — Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2025 The boogie-woogie vibe instilled by Federici’s jangly piano pegs it as a pool hall hit rather than the headphones-listening and ponderous nature of the original. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for boogie-woogie

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of boogie-woogie was in 1927

Rhymes for boogie-woogie

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Browse Nearby Words

boogie board
boogie-woogie
boogum
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Cite this Entry

“Boogie-woogie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boogie-woogie. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boogie-woogie

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