Wagnerian

1 of 2

adjective

Wag·​ne·​ri·​an väg-ˈnir-ē-ən How to pronounce Wagnerian (audio) -ˈner- How to pronounce Wagnerian (audio)
: of, relating to, characteristic, or suggestive of Wagner or his music, stage operas, or theories

Wagnerian

2 of 2

noun

: an admirer of the musical theories and style of Wagner

Examples of Wagnerian 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.
Adjective
The doctor himself is characterized sometimes by boisterously chattering lines, sometimes by semi-Wagnerian bombast; at the end, his music turns elegiac, implicitly undercutting his dreams of beginning anew. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Noun
The Toto score for Dune was Wagnerian and powerful, yet the band never composed the soundtrack for another movie. — Max Evry, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2023 The worship of greatness leads, at best, to disillusionment and, at worst, to the insanity unleashed by the Wagnerian Hitler. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Wagnerian

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Richard Wagner

First Known Use

Adjective

1868, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Wagnerian was in 1868

Rhymes for Wagnerian

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Browse Nearby Words

Wagneresque
Wagnerian
Wagnerianism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wagnerian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wagnerian. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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