boogie-woogie

noun

boo·​gie-woo·​gie ˌbu̇-gē-ˈwu̇-gē How to pronounce boogie-woogie (audio)
ˌbü-gē-ˈwü-gē
: a percussive style of playing blues on the piano characterized by a steady rhythmic ground bass of eighth notes in quadruple time and a series of improvised melodic variations

Examples of boogie-woogie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Added to the mix is Ian Stewart, the Stones’ longtime road manager, playing piano in boogie-woogie style, plus a wailing sax solo by Bobby Keys. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026 The Museum of Modern Art has announced a forthcoming exhibition dedicated to Dutch modernist Piet Mondrian’s years in New York—in particular, the influence of the city’s boogie-woogie music scene on his art. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 9 June 2026 Ian Stewart’s energetic boogie-woogie piano style rounded out the sound. — Marc Ballon, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 Sonically, the genre is indebted to blues and gospel music, but echoes of other kinds of Black music—like work songs, string and jug band music, Black vaudeville, boogie-woogie, and even minstrelsy—can be heard in it. — Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boogie-woogie

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of boogie-woogie was in 1927

Rhymes for boogie-woogie

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Browse Nearby Words

boogie board
boogie-woogie
boogum
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Cite this Entry

“Boogie-woogie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boogie-woogie. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on boogie-woogie

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boogie-woogie

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