rubato

American  

[roo-bah-toh, roo-bah-taw] / ruˈbɑ toʊ, ruˈbɑ tɔ /

adjective

1. having certain notes arbitrarily lengthened while others are correspondingly shortened, or vice versa.

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noun

plural

rubatos, rubati

1. a rubato phrase or passage.

2. a rubato performance.

adverb

1. in a rubato manner.

rubato British  

/ ruːˈbɑːtəʊ /

noun

1. flexibility of tempo in performance

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adjective

1. to be played with a flexible tempo

Etymology

Origin of rubato

1880–85; < Italian ( tempo ) rubato stolen (time), past participle of rubare to steal < Germanic; rob

Example Sentences

I told them, ‘Is there a way we can find space for rubato, pianissimo, glissando — all of that — so we can really play in the music?’

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2025

If Babayan’s recourse to romantic rubato occasionally threatened to tarry behind Lintu’s beat, Trifonov was there to keep things on course.

From New York Times • Nov. 18, 2022

On “The Water Will Win,” a bluesish, rubato incantation, Knuffke leads the trio in headlong.

From New York Times • Jul. 1, 2022

From early on, the stylish use of rubato gave a sense of dreaminess to her performance.

From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2022

Tempo rubato may be compared to speaking certain words more slowly or more rapidly in order that the essential meaning of the entire sentence may be more strongly impressed upon the listener.

From Essentials in Conducting by Gehrkens, Karl Wilson