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
Lauryn Turner, an alum of the Dallas Wings and USA Gymnastics, is now CEO of the dance events business DanceOne. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 2 July 2026 Lawrence may not be the first actress to come to mind when thinking of ballet films, but the elegant dance form wasn't as foreign to Natalie Portman — the Black Swan star studied ballet from ages 4 to 12 years old, according to NPR. — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026
Verb
Trump has frequently played and danced to the song at his campaign rallies and at parties at his Mar-A-Lago estate in Florida. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2026 Similar to the pep rallies in Miami and Mexico for the opening matches, the party featured live music, dozens of vendors, and lots and lots of dancing. — Julianna Mejia, Kansas City Star, 3 July 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
  • Dunkin’ Prom, which funds alternative proms for teens who may have missed theirs for medical reasons and lastly, grants to customize hospital spaces to create joy.
    — Zuri Primos June 29, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
  • Travis opted for a pinstripe suit for his big night out at prom in 2008.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
Definition of prom
Verb
  • With one out and Carrigg on third, Jake McCarthy hit a sharp ground ball to Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who stepped on the bag and fired home.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Rob, who died in December at age 78, portrayed George Washington in a segment inspired by the first president’s decision to step away after two terms in office.
    — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of step
Verb
  • His plan worked, and the bear darted to the side of the road before disappearing back into the woods.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • So far, the Pentagon has released three batches of files ranging from decades-old FBI reports to more recent military videos showing orbs darting or soaring through the sky.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • The Stoned Climbers festival, which took place last week in the Zhytomyr region, is Ukraine’s biggest outdoors event combining climbing and live music.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
  • More than 250 creators showed up across official festival programming this year, the most in Cannes Lions history.
    — Ian Shepherd, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of festival
Verb
  • Sweden waltzed to a 5-1 victory against Tunisia in its opener, with its forward line of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres capitalizing on some poor defending.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
  • When that happens, Pedri can waltz through an empty midfield and from a five-on-four situation, and sets up Mikel Oyarzabal to score.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 June 2026
Definition of waltz
Verb
  • The Spanish, who had at first just flitted along the coast in their galleons, had begun marching inland and overland from Mexico with crosses and soldiers and soldiers’ families.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Mosquitoes and moths flit around porch lights all night long.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 June 2026
Definition of flit
Noun
  • According to The New York Times, Swift and Kelce's plans allegedly include a smaller gathering of about 100 people on July 2, as well as a larger celebration with around 1,000 guests on July 3.
    — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • All of which sent the sellout crowd into jubilant celebrations, some jumping, others breaking out World Cup chants.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of celebration
Verb
  • As soon as the game wrapped up, those guests shuffled out, and hours later were replaced by a rowdier group ordering shots at the bar, dancing to 2000s hits in front of the DJ booth and smoking vape pens on the outdoor patio.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
  • Pretoria responded to the threat of violence in June 30 protests with millions of dollars shuffled inside the police budget, tactical units deployed, and soldiers on standby.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 1 July 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 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dance

Nglish: Translation of dance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dance

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