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
Appearing alongside a live band and several backup singers, the Nigerian singer offered an evocative rendition of the emotional ballad, off her most recent EP, Love Is a Kingdom.
—
Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2026
The Asian version will take flight after the original contest takes place in Vienna in May, with 35 countries competing in the singing contest known for outrageous costumes, towering ballads and high-energy performances.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
Bruzzone’s vocals seesaw between throat-buzzing alien croaks and clean vocals that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Mars Volta ballad.
—Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
The album’s name, Arirang, pays tribute to a treasured Korean folk ballad of the same name, which was famously the country’s first song, sung by Korean men, ever recorded (it was preserved for posterity by American ethnologist Alice Fletcher in 1896).
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ballad
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Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 1 Apr. 2026
The Asian version will take flight after the original contest takes place in Vienna in May, with 35 countries competing in the singing contest known for outrageous costumes, towering ballads and high-energy performances.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 31 Mar. 2026
Bruzzone’s vocals seesaw between throat-buzzing alien croaks and clean vocals that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Mars Volta ballad.
—Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
The album’s name, Arirang, pays tribute to a treasured Korean folk ballad of the same name, which was famously the country’s first song, sung by Korean men, ever recorded (it was preserved for posterity by American ethnologist Alice Fletcher in 1896).
—Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ballad
Cite this Entry
“Ballad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballad. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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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