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
Anyone who has spent time online recently has likely come across Ordinary, the ballad by Alex Warren that has been soundtracking romantic videos and emotional content everywhere.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
In a poll published Friday (April 18) on Billboard, music fans chose the alt-pop icon’s gorgeous new ballad as their favorite new release of the past week.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 20 Apr. 2025
Del Rey, 39, recounted the unique inspiration for the ethereal ballad, which thematically uses the titular bluebird as a metaphor for self-healing.
—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 19 Apr. 2025
This week, Lana Del Rey yearns for freedom on her latest ballad, Addison Rae invites listeners into her synth-pop fantasy, and JID puts the bar work in on his latest release.
—Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ballad
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
In a poll published Friday (April 18) on Billboard, music fans chose the alt-pop icon’s gorgeous new ballad as their favorite new release of the past week.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 20 Apr. 2025
Del Rey, 39, recounted the unique inspiration for the ethereal ballad, which thematically uses the titular bluebird as a metaphor for self-healing.
—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 19 Apr. 2025
This week, Lana Del Rey yearns for freedom on her latest ballad, Addison Rae invites listeners into her synth-pop fantasy, and JID puts the bar work in on his latest release.
—Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 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 29 Apr. 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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