dance
Americanverb (used without object)
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dances,
present (3rd person singular)
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danced,
past participle, past
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dancing
present participle
-
to move one's feet or body, or both, rhythmically in a pattern of steps, especially to the accompaniment of music.
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to leap, skip, etc., as from excitement or emotion; move nimbly or quickly.
to dance with joy.
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to bob up and down.
The toy sailboats danced on the pond.
verb (used with object)
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dances,
present (3rd person singular)
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danced,
past participle, past
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dancing
present participle
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to perform or take part in (a dance).
to dance a waltz.
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to cause to dance.
He danced her around the ballroom.
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to cause to be in a specified condition by dancing.
She danced her way to stardom.
noun
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dances
plural
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a successive group of rhythmical steps or bodily motions, or both, usually executed to music.
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an act or round of dancing; set.
May I have this dance?
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the art of dancing.
to study dance.
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a social gathering or party for dancing; ball.
Was he invited to the dance?
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a piece of music suited in rhythm or style to a particular form of dancing.
He liked the composer's country dances.
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Animal Behavior. a stylized pattern of movements performed by an animal, as a bird in courtship display, or an insect, as a honeybee in indicating a source of nectar.
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the dance, ballet, interpretive dancing, and other dancing of an artistic nature performed by professional dancers before an audience.
idioms
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dance attendance. attendance.
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dance on air, to be hanged.
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dance to another tune, to change one's behavior, attitudes, etc.
verb
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(intr) to move the feet and body rhythmically, esp in time to music
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(tr) to perform (a particular dance)
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(intr) to skip or leap, as in joy, etc
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to move or cause to move in a light rhythmic way
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to attend someone solicitously or obsequiously
noun
-
a series of rhythmic steps and movements, usually in time to music
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an act of dancing
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a social meeting arranged for dancing; ball
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( as modifier )
a dance hall
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a piece of music in the rhythm of a particular dance form, such as a waltz
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short for dance music
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dancelike movements made by some insects and birds, esp as part of a behaviour pattern
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informal to cause someone continued worry and exasperation; play up
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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dancernoun
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dancingnoun
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outdanceverb (used with object)
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antidancingadjective
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danceableadjective
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undancingadjective
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well-dancedadjective
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dancinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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dancesimple
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dancessimple
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have dancedperfect
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has dancedperfect
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am dancingprogressive
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are dancingprogressive
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is dancingprogressive
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have been dancingperfect progressive
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has been dancingperfect progressive
Past
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dancedsimple
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had dancedperfect
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was dancingprogressive
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were dancingprogressive
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had been dancingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dance
First recorded in 1250–1300; (for the verb) Middle English da(u)ncen, from Anglo-French dancer, dauncer, Old French dancier, perhaps from Old High German dansjan, dansōn (unrecorded) “to draw, stretch out, lead to a dance” ( see also tense 1 ( def. )); noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
A dance is a series of movements — sometimes choreographed, but sometimes not — where the person moves in time to music. Rumba, tango, disco, swing, and ballet are all examples of types of dances. If you move in a rhythmic manner — especially to music — you can use the verb dance to explain your actions. As a noun, a dance can be a social occasion, held by a school or by some other organization, where music is played and people gather to dance or just hang out. In fact, sometimes there is no actual dancing at a dance — especially when young teenagers feel awkward around one another.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
With these songs, I was also looking back at a lot of the traditional Texas dance hall music that I grew up hearing, and wanting to purposely make a record that people could two-step to.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
Figma is promoting its new AI agent with a dance video meant to channel the way design feels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
“It needs to be a dance, and you need to actually be the one not leading, but learn how to follow very carefully.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
With little money at their disposal, the streets make for the ultimate hangout spot, and every weekend, young people turn out to dance and rollerblade all along Havana's Paseo del Prado.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
Janie loved to sing and dance and act, and she was getting ready to audition for the role of Alice in Alice in Wonderland, her school’s spring play.
From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold
Across from them, a roughly equal group waved Chinese and American flags, shouting “welcome, welcome” and playing music including “YMCA,” a song Trump often dances to.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
They learnt four dances, practised hard and rehearsed at home to prepare for the event, Fernhill House Care Home said.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
There his life was devoid of high school hallmarks such as mingling and dating women, dances, and learning about the world through pop culture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
The most viral videos that we have done have been dances that no sororities have done in the past.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
He throws a bucket on me, and we drip and cry while Helena dances because the war is over.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
Mother, danced with dignity by Unity Phelan at the premiere, is initially garbed in a heavy golden dress with boxy letters spelling out “PROTECT” across her shoulders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
Both she and a guy danced en pointe; Adéla never went long without whipping her long pink hair, which was one style choice widely replicated throughout the room.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Inside the machine, which looked like a large blender with a metal doughnut inside, blue and orange lights vibrated within glass tubes, while feathery electricity danced out the top.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
Reprieved lbw to Dan Lawrence he danced down the pitch and was stumped next ball.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
We danced again, silly and staggering, and when we finished a second time Luc again reached out his hand.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
The department reported completing 19 programs and events this year, citing World Cup celebrations that combined sports screenings with art-making and dancing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
If you were out dancing, would it matter to you if a DJ was, well, not really DJing?
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
“I’m dancing with a girl that I liked, but I was already in the throes of dating the one who became my wife, Lorenza.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
“He engages the white construct in a way that’s intelligent and everything, and then I see this commercial where he’s sitting there playing Aretha Franklin and he’s dancing a jig,” he said.
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026
But once they announce that girls and boys will be housed separately, the singing and dancing stops.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
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