as in songs
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment
a haunting ballad about lost love and loneliness
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Recent Examples of ballads
Not that the album can really be divided into ballads and rockers.
—
Brendan Hay, SPIN, 27 Apr. 2026
His silky ballads are uniformly thoughtful and well-constructed, but lack the pathos that would give them greater depth and dimension.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Such is the case for Phil Collins, Madonna, Beyoncé and Billy Joel, who all used the experience of parenthood to inspire some of our favorite ballads and pop tunes that have stood the test of time.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
The ballads speak about love, but from a relaxed place.
—Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Interspersed with folk ballads, this fantasia-like play certainly creates a mood, but struggles to tell a cohesive story.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
An old soul with with a huge, commanding voice, his catalog hovers between the orchestral swoon of pre-rock ballads, the pristine melodies of Anita Baker and the rangy, resilient yearning of his hometown’s soul tradition.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
That success — as well as surviving his own murder attempt — has sparked a nationwide infatuation of Harfuch, which includes merchandise and popular ballads praising him.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
The show ebbed and flowed with precision, with the uptempo jams countered by Mars’ considerable arsenal of ballads.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Brendan Hay, SPIN, 27 Apr. 2026
His silky ballads are uniformly thoughtful and well-constructed, but lack the pathos that would give them greater depth and dimension.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Such is the case for Phil Collins, Madonna, Beyoncé and Billy Joel, who all used the experience of parenthood to inspire some of our favorite ballads and pop tunes that have stood the test of time.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
The ballads speak about love, but from a relaxed place.
—Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Interspersed with folk ballads, this fantasia-like play certainly creates a mood, but struggles to tell a cohesive story.
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
An old soul with with a huge, commanding voice, his catalog hovers between the orchestral swoon of pre-rock ballads, the pristine melodies of Anita Baker and the rangy, resilient yearning of his hometown’s soul tradition.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
That success — as well as surviving his own murder attempt — has sparked a nationwide infatuation of Harfuch, which includes merchandise and popular ballads praising him.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
The show ebbed and flowed with precision, with the uptempo jams countered by Mars’ considerable arsenal of ballads.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ballads
Noun
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The songs were radiant, ecstatic, and cleansing, a deep exhale from a band freed from boardroom expectations.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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Were these new songs recorded at the same time as the first batch?—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The hour-long event included mournful hymns, prayers and the laying of wreaths by the participants, which included representatives from many countries around the world.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Christian hymns were sung in English and Creole.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The maudlin song, whose lyrics too sincere to be funny, will appear on the group’s upcoming Everyone for Ten Minutes, out May 22.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
30 Apr. 2026
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But the bluntness of the lyrics arrives just as quickly, undercutting the atmosphere by naming too plainly what the music had already begun to evoke with greater force.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Through more than 200 interviews and a blend of entertainment and education, the podcast highlights Kuti’s impact while incorporating the voices of women in his life and showcasing his musical works as anthems for freedom.—
Patrick Hipes,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 2026
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Teenagers scaled Budapest’s iconic Chain Bridge and blasted revolutionary anthems by artists whose songs captured young people’s frustrations with the regime.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yes, Jaafar is actually singing while portraying Michael, with the late singer's vocals also being blended into some of the tracks.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
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Brian Gibson’s gangrenous bass riffs and gibbering, muffled vocals have even more gonzo energy than usual, while Chippendale mixes bombast and finesse with his customary flair.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ballads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ballads. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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