doo-wop

noun

ˈdü-ˌwäp How to pronounce doo-wop (audio)
: a vocal style of rock and roll characterized by the a cappella singing of nonsense syllables in rhythmical support of the melody

Examples of doo-wop in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Iris began singing in a doo-wop group in high school in the early ’60s, then moved on to rock ‘n’ roll and R&B cover bands before the Jaggerz were formed in 1964. — Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026 After doo-wop changed to Motown, Motown to me was everything that was to be in music. — Angel Diaz, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2026 Their friendship and mutual admiration produced something that neither had made before, with Rostam’s meticulous production framing Leithauser’s enormous vocal range across doo-wop, country rock, baroque pop, folk and torch song territory. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 17 Sep. 2026 If surfer music was a subset of rock and roll with doo-wop overlay, hot rod music was a subset of surfer music with gearhead overlay. — Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for doo-wop

Word History

Etymology

from nonsense syllables typical of the style

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of doo-wop was in 1961

Rhymes for doo-wop

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Browse Nearby Words

do-over
doo-wop
doozy
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Cite this Entry

“Doo-wop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doo-wop. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on doo-wop

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about doo-wop

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