symphonic
Americanadjective
-
Music. of, for, pertaining to, or having the character of a symphony or symphony orchestra.
-
of or relating to symphony or harmony of sounds.
-
characterized by similarity of sound, as words.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of symphonic
First recorded in 1855–60; symphon(y) + -ic
Vocabulary lists containing symphonic
Music - Middle School
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Music - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
When the younger Sousa became its conductor at age 25, he recruited woodwinds to balance the blaring brass instruments, expanded its repertoire by transcribing symphonic works, and led meticulous rehearsals.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
The German and Austrian symphonic and operatic music of the 1930s happens to be the root of the Hollywood soundtrack, created by composers such as Erich Korngold, who fled the Nazis.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026
This time the movie would have a symphonic scope and richness featuring music in many scenes, not just one.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
The opening concert will be Marsalis's symphonic work All Rise, featuring 200 singers and musicians in a piece that combines African chant, New Orleans parade music, gospel and Latin American styles.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
Liszt’s symphonic poems, on the other hand, were a departure from this trend in that they intended to conjure up in music the pictures or the stories themselves.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.