ballad

American  

[bal-uhd] / ˈbæl əd /

noun

• ballads
  plural

1. any light, simple song, especially one of sentimental or romantic character, having two or more stanzas all sung to the same melody.

2. a simple narrative poem of folk origin, composed in short stanzas and adapted for singing.

3. any poem written in similar style.

4. the music for a ballad.

5. a sentimental or romantic popular song.

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ballad British  

/ ˈbæləd /

noun

1. a narrative song with a recurrent refrain

2. a narrative poem in short stanzas of popular origin, originally sung to a repeated tune

3. a slow sentimental song, esp a pop song

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ballad ¹ Cultural  

1. A simple narrative song, or a narrative poem suitable for singing. The ballad usually has a short stanza, such as:

   There are twelve months in all the year,

   As I hear many men say,

   But the merriest month in all the year

   Is the merry month of May.

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ballad ² Cultural  

1. A simple narrative song, or, alternatively, a narrative poem suitable for singing. (See under “Conventions of Written English.”)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• balladic
  adjective
• balladlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ballads
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of ballad

1350–1400; Middle English balade < Middle French < Old Provençal balada dance, dancing-song, equivalent to bal ( ar ) to dance (< Late Latin ballāre; see ball ²) + -ada -ade ¹

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Explanation

A ballad is a song that tells a story, and it can be dramatic, funny, or romantic. You can find ballads in a variety of musical styles, from country-western to rock n' roll. The ballad is an old musical form. Ballads are often by anonymous composers, passed down from generation to generation. You may know “The Ballad of Jesse James," about the notorious bank robber, which dates from the 1880s and has been recorded by everybody from Woody Guthrie to Springsteen. A ballad can also be a slow, romantic song, the kind of thing crooners like Johnny Mathis and Bing Crosby made famous. The word ballad comes from medieval French balade, a dancing song.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ballad ballads

Though Karol G came up as a reggaeton artist in her native Colombia, “Still” is an English-language pop-soul ballad; Aespa’s clubby “Switchblade,” meanwhile, features a guest verse by R&B singer Ty Dolla Sign.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

In August 2025, the 38-year-old singer-songwriter joined forces with Carin León for the cross-cultural ballad “Lost in Translation.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

Her interpretation showed early how a jazz singer could personalize the ballad, imbuing it with her characteristic rhythmic freedom and emotional depth.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The Death of Robin Hood is based on a 17th Century ballad of the outlaw, starring Hugh Jackman as the reflective, battle-weary titular character at the end of his life.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

He played a ballad, then a light, quick drinking song, then a slow, sad melody in a language that I didn’t recognize but suspected might be Yllish.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

It’s one of the great power ballads of the last 25 years, with a chorus as cathartic as any in modern pop; Cyrus, the showbiz lifer, surely understood the payoff she was building toward.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

The Irish band takes a major step forward with its fifth LP, which ranges from sinister goth sounds and reflective ballads to hard-charging anthems.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

The film is directed by David Ayer, a purveyor of wild action flicks and ballads of masculinity; the screenplay is the debut effort of Cameron Alexander.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

The new Whigs record is a strong collection of material that stands solidly amongst the existing catalog of v2 Whigs albums, with big rockers, piano ballads, and tape loops neatly nestled against guitar feedback.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

A cat-headed goblin named Yarrow recites ballads and asks us questions.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

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