1
a
: a narrative composition in rhythmic verse suitable for singing
a ballad about King Arthur
b
: an art song accompanying a traditional ballad
2
: a simple song : air
3
: a popular song
especially
: a slow romantic or sentimental song
a ballad they danced to at their wedding reception
Examples of ballad in a Sentence
a haunting ballad about lost love and loneliness
Recent Examples on the Web
The group was equally adept with dancefloor fodder and gentle ballads.
—
Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025
Love Is Blind thrives on overwrought music cues, and its soaring, on-the-nose ballads are just another layer of the show’s orchestrated melodrama.
—Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2025
Warren’s iconic love ballads, played against the end credits, defined the ’90s.
—Carrie Wittmer, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
Crystal Monee Hall’s diverse score is filled with marches, anthems, ballads and ensemble numbers, with the highlights being the call-to-action songs.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ballad
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Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025
Love Is Blind thrives on overwrought music cues, and its soaring, on-the-nose ballads are just another layer of the show’s orchestrated melodrama.
—Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2025
Warren’s iconic love ballads, played against the end credits, defined the ’90s.
—Carrie Wittmer, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
Crystal Monee Hall’s diverse score is filled with marches, anthems, ballads and ensemble numbers, with the highlights being the call-to-action songs.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ballad
Cite this Entry
“Ballad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballad. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ballad
noun
bal·lad
ˈbal-əd 
1
: a poem that tells a story of adventure, of romance, or of a hero, that is suitable for singing, and that usually has stanzas of four lines with a rhyme on the second and fourth lines
2
: a simple song
3
: a usually slow or sentimental popular song
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