How to Use tempo in a Sentence

tempo

noun
  • The tempo of the game slowed down.
  • The song has a slow tempo.
  • We walked at a fast tempo.
  • The dance starts out fast and then switches tempo.
  • The composition has many changes of tempo.
  • Then the dogs seemed to step up their tempo.
    — Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026
  • If talks heat up, slow the tempo and breathe at home or at work.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026
  • The tempo was hard and fast with turnovers aplenty.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The mood and tempo bounced around early on.
    — Daniel Dylan Wray, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2025
  • But though the tempo of her music was fast, the vibe was placid.
    — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2023
  • How will the tempo of practice go?
    — Antwan Staley, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2025
  • Rayo slowed the pace of the game and the tempo did not suit Palace.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • That lightning-fast tempo can lead to quick scores or three-and-outs.
    — Christopher Smith, al, 18 Oct. 2021
  • Instead, the change is about tempo.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Castellanos thrives in tempo and rhythm.
    — D’joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Some switch up color and tempo to keep your brain working hard.
    — New Atlas, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The aim was to return the tempo to the same rate as when the song began.
    — Randall Roberts, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2021
  • David doubles his tempo to the finish, then jumps to his feet.
    — Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Yet the breadth and the tempo of the changes were remarkable.
    — Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The game opens at a steady tempo and then hits a sudden and massive spike.
    — Jonathan Lee, Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2022
  • Kadri paces the Flames in scoring but their tempo hasn’t been high.
    — Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
  • And the tempo of the song starts out slow but then gets very fast very quickly … boom boom boom.
    — Barbra Streisand, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2023
  • Payne pushed the tempo as the Suns played faster with him in the lineup.
    — Duane Rankin, The Arizona Republic, 15 May 2023
  • At first a dirge, then the tempo rises, and the hymnal swells.
    — Jenny Adams, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
  • And this means that their tempo can be different.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2026
  • The game was high-tempo with both teams moving up and down the court quickly.
    — Sam Blum, Dallas News, 3 Dec. 2020
  • As the tempo rose, a perimeter of cellphone screens formed around them.
    — Aatish Taseer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023
  • There’s going to be times in the huddle where maybe the tempo’s not great.
    — Brad Biggs, chicagotribune.com, 9 Nov. 2021
  • Home in on your tempo and add a pause halfway through the lift to keep your hips in the right place.
    — Brett Williams, Men's Health, 30 Nov. 2022
  • Like last year’s team, this Mentor squad likes to play at a high tempo.
    — Matt Goul, cleveland, 20 Feb. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tempo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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