crooner

American  

[kroo-ner] / ˈkru nər /

noun

• crooners
  plural

1. a popular singer who sings in an evenly modulated, slightly exaggerated manner.

   He was the kind of soulful, rockabilly-influenced crooner you might catch playing a place like the Liquor Lounge, and he reminded me of both Sinatra and Elvis.

2. someone who sings.

   In karaoke, even the least talented crooner has a chance to aim for that big moment in the spotlight.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• crooners
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of crooner

croon ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

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Explanation

A crooner is a singer, especially a man who sings jazz standards. Frank Sinatra was a well-known crooner. The noun crooner describes a silky-voiced singer of sentimental jazz favorites, particularly a male singer. Crooners were especially popular from the late 1920s until the early 1950s. The increased use of microphones and radio broadcasting made it possible for crooners to sing softly and emotionally even when backed by a band. The rise of rock n roll helped bring the era of the crooner to an end. Crooner comes from the verb croon, "to sing softly and sadly."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crooner crooners

Kacey Musgraves headlined a tribute to late country legend Dolly Parton, while Teddy Swims, Sombr and Raye offered a soulful tribute to crooner George Michael, 40 years after the release of his landmark album "Faith."

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

Tom Jones, beloved Welsh crooner and longtime coach on “The Voice UK,” says he has been fired from the reality singing competition series.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

By spending 19 non-consecutive weeks at the top of the UK singles chart, it overtakes the record set by American crooner Frankie Laine with his track I Believe, in 1953.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

Say, for instance, a fluffy Sasquatch, or a crooner of a moon in pajamas singing an old-timey lullaby to all the little ones seated cross-legged on the floor.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026

While he attended the races at Tanforan with Bing Crosby, the crooner found himself abandoned as fans and autograph-seekers smothered Howard.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Ms. Willetts devotes nearly an entire chapter—ostensibly on postwar nightlife in Las Vegas and Havana—to Frank Sinatra, head of America’s Rat Pack of lounge crooners and the “kingpin of ‘gentlemanly’ debauchery.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Springer added that he prefers classic crooners, such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, to Bublé.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 24, 2025

It will reflect the King's musical interests through his life, ranging from 1930s crooners to Afrobeat stars.

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2025

Our mental list of local legends runs the gamut from old-school crooners to forward-thinking rappers, groundbreaking rock bands to jazz players who became giants.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 2, 2023

“At odd hours of the night, Roscoe’s hops with hip-hop gangstas and old-time crooners, funkateers and exponents of new-jack swing, athletes and bodyguards,” Gold wrote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2022

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Related Words

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