plural melodies
1
: a sweet or agreeable succession or arrangement of sounds
whilst all the winds with melody are ringing—
P. B. Shelley
P. B. Shelley2
: a rhythmic succession of single tones organized as an aesthetic whole
a hummable melody
the piper's fingers play the melody on a pipe called a chanter—Pat Cahill
Pat Cahill
Examples of melody in a Sentence
He wrote a piece that includes some beautiful melodies.
a composer known for his love of melody
He sang a few old melodies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Written by Diaz, Stella, and Kate York, the serene track is overflowing with melody, as Diaz and Stella trade verses across an acoustic guitar that softly builds.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2024
Lyrically, Rose weaves layers of depth even in his most buoyant melodies.
—Sarah Grant, SPIN, 10 Apr. 2024
The pop-rock track at times evokes the distinctive vintage sound of ’70s rock classics, driven by electric guitar, with vocals wrapped in reverb effects and captivating melodies.
—Griselda Flores, Billboard, 5 Apr. 2024
Its first movement makes sudden shifts in tempo, and its melody travels between instruments.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2024
On Across the River of Stars, Beachwood Sparks partnered with producer Chris Robinson to return to the blend of twangy psychedelia and dreamy melodies they’re known for.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2024
Her voice — accompanied by her brother's guitar strings — delighted and filled those spaces with enchanting melodies.
—Paula Soria, The Arizona Republic, 24 Mar. 2024
The guitar riff prickles nervously; the melody pleads in the manner of a hungry pet; Parton sings, in a trembling tone, about the woman who could and very well might take her man.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2024
Her scenes with Buckley, in which the irresistible urge of Irish bonhomie butts up against the immovable object of passive-aggressive politeness and repression, are like watching musicians play off against each other’s weaving melodies and riffs.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2024
Lyrically, Rose weaves layers of depth even in his most buoyant melodies.
—Sarah Grant, SPIN, 10 Apr. 2024
The pop-rock track at times evokes the distinctive vintage sound of ’70s rock classics, driven by electric guitar, with vocals wrapped in reverb effects and captivating melodies.
—Griselda Flores, Billboard, 5 Apr. 2024
Its first movement makes sudden shifts in tempo, and its melody travels between instruments.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2024
On Across the River of Stars, Beachwood Sparks partnered with producer Chris Robinson to return to the blend of twangy psychedelia and dreamy melodies they’re known for.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2024
Her voice — accompanied by her brother's guitar strings — delighted and filled those spaces with enchanting melodies.
—Paula Soria, The Arizona Republic, 24 Mar. 2024
The guitar riff prickles nervously; the melody pleads in the manner of a hungry pet; Parton sings, in a trembling tone, about the woman who could and very well might take her man.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2024
Her scenes with Buckley, in which the irresistible urge of Irish bonhomie butts up against the immovable object of passive-aggressive politeness and repression, are like watching musicians play off against each other’s weaving melodies and riffs.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'melody.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to melody
Dictionary Entries Near melody
Cite this Entry
“Melody.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/melody. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
melody
noun
mel·o·dy
ˈmel-əd-ē 
plural melodies
1
: a pleasing succession of sounds
2
: a series of musical tones arranged to give a pleasing effect
3
: the leading part in a musical composition involving harmony
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