musical 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmyü-zi-kəl How to pronounce musical (audio)
Definition of musicalnext
1
as in melodic
having a pleasantly flowing quality suggestive of music the musical sounds of the babbling brook

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in symphonic
having a pleasing mixture of notes the song of the skylark has been celebrated for being especially musical

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

musical

2 of 2

noun

as in comedy

Related Words

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 musical
Adjective
Veteran creatives who helped launch the musical reunite on tour, describing the show’s glittering escapism as a balm for audiences in anxious, overwhelming times. — Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026 Led by chief strategist Afrikaa Johnson, planning began with securing the right venue before assembling the night’s musical lineup, including DJ Self, whose set kept guests dancing throughout the evening. — Naomi Jeffries, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026
Noun
In the audience will be Pink's mother — who took her to shows growing up in Philadelphia, instilling a love of musicals — and Pink's two children, a passing of the musical theater baton. — ABC News, 7 June 2026 The Lyric Theater, which was built in the 1920s as a silent movie house, regularly hosts plays, musicals, and performances from big-name talent in its grand, 500-seat theater. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for musical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for musical
  1. melodic
  2. symphonic
  3. comedy
  4. lyrical
  5. melodrama
  6. lyric
  7. tragicomedy
  8. musical comedy
Adjective
  • Perhaps the most striking thing about this savage beatdown is its sweetly melodic backing track.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
  • Unlike the brighter, more melodic style often associated with Austria and the Tyrol region, Swiss yodeling is slower and more melancholic — an emotionally nuanced tradition rooted in distinct regional dialects.
    — Jez Fielder, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Definition of melodic
Adjective
  • The German and Austrian symphonic and operatic music of the 1930s happens to be the root of the Hollywood soundtrack, created by composers such as Erich Korngold, who fled the Nazis.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
  • The evening culminates with the electrifying Concerto for Hammond Organ by Brian Raphael Nabors, who takes the stage as soloist in this work that's a thrilling fusion of gospel, jazz and symphonic sound.
    — WCCO Staff, CBS News, 17 June 2026
Definition of symphonic
Noun
  • The apocalyptic horror comedy Zombieland (2009) was a box office hit.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 July 2026
  • The ceremony was officiated by friend of the couple Adam Sandler, whom Travis Kelce starred alongside in the 2025 comedy Happy Gilmore 2.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026
Definition of comedy
Adjective
  • Hers is a voice that ought to have a lifetime’s staying power, bolstered by a lyrical and musical sensibility that provide everything her instrument needs to deliver a happy succession of knockout blows.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 July 2026
  • The Brooklyn neighborhood where, if Swiftie lyrical interpretations are to be trusted, Swift left a now-infamous scarf at the home of one Maggie Gyllenhaal around 2010.
    — Lily Boyce, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of lyrical
Noun
  • The plots of Roman romance novels are full of heightened melodrama.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
  • The ongoing war between woke and anti-woke factions is a fatuous melodrama best left to the satirists.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
Definition of melodrama
Adjective
  • The song was paired with a lyric video that reuses two-decade-old footage shot by collaborator Cliff Watts, who also photographed Beyoncé’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 July 2026
  • According to a release from Parkwood Entertainment, the song arrives along with a lyric video directed by Cliff Watts that repurposes old footage.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 4 July 2026
Definition of lyric
Noun
  • As opposed to tragedy’s narrative arc of historical fate, tragicomedy unfolds in an infinite present.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
  • Set in Shanghai, the film is a tragicomedy about a mother and daughter grieving their loss while trying to act normal.
    — Jenny S. Li, Variety, 12 June 2026
Definition of tragicomedy
Noun
  • New Zealand actor and comedian Jemaine Clement is having a moment thanks to recent reunion gigs for Flight of the Conchords, his musical comedy act with Bret McKenzie, and co-starring role in buzzy Disney+ relationship drama Alice & Steve.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 23 June 2026
  • Frankie stars in the musical comedy, a parody of the 1997 blockbuster Titanic set to a score of songs by Céline Dion.
    — Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026
Definition of musical comedy

Browse Nearby Words

mushy
musical
musical comedies
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Cite this Entry

“Musical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/musical. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on musical

Nglish: Translation of musical for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about musical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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