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Synonyms

incidental music

American  

noun

  1. music intended primarily to point up or accompany parts of the action of a play or to serve as transitional material between scenes.


incidental music British  

noun

  1. background music for a film, television programme, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of incidental music

First recorded in 1860–65

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:

The show’s theme was a cocktail culture cover of “Crazy Train”; incidental music transitioning one scene to the next was intentionally reminiscent of 1950s sitcoms.

From Salon Jul. 24, 2025

The closest thing, a staging of Mendelssohn’s incidental music to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” was canceled last minute for supposed scheduling difficulties.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 21, 2023

The evening opened with “The Consecration of the House,” an overture Beethoven wholly revised in 1822 from incidental music originally composed a decade earlier for August von Kotzebue’s play, “The Ruins of Athens.”

From Washington Post Jan. 28, 2022

Strachan wrote the quiz show's theme and dramatic incidental music with his father Keith.

From BBC Sep. 22, 2021

Of the tragedies, Macbeth, for some strange reason, is more associated with incidental music than any of the others.

From Shakespeare and Music by Wilson, Christopher

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