DANCE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for DANCE?

Need another word that means the same as “dance”? Find 43 synonyms and 30 related words for “dance” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Dance” are: trip the light fantastic, trip the light fantastic toe, trip, sway, spin, whirl, twirl, pirouette, gyrate, caper, cavort, frisk, frolic, skip, prance, romp, gambol, jig, bound, leap, jump, spring, bob, hop, bounce, flicker, sparkle, twinkle, shimmer, ripple, dart, play, flick, flit, quiver, jiggle, joggle, oscillate, dancing, saltation, terpsichore, ball, discotheque

Dance as a Noun

Definitions of "Dance" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “dance” as a noun can have the following definitions:

• A social gathering at which people dance.
• An artistic form of nonverbal communication.
• A type of popular music intended for dancing to in clubs, typically having a repetitive beat and a synthesized backing track that features sound samples.
• A particular sequence of steps and movements constituting a particular form of dancing.
• A set of lively movements resembling a dance.
• A piece of music for dancing to.
• A party for social dancing.
• An act of dancing.
• A series of steps and movements that match the speed and rhythm of a piece of music.
• Taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music.
• Dance steps and movements considered as an activity or art form.
• A party of people assembled for dancing.

Synonyms of "Dance" as a noun (5 Words)

ball	The game of baseball. The ball was already emptying out before the fire alarm sounded.
dancing	The activity of dancing for pleasure or in order to entertain others. There will be folk music singing and dancing.
discotheque	A club or party at which people dance to recorded pop music.
saltation	The action of leaping or dancing. A new concept of evolution by saltations or sudden transitions.
terpsichore	Taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music.

Usage Examples of "Dance" as a noun

• She met her husband at a dance.
• Dances include the waltz, the quickstep, and the foxtrot.
• They rolled back the carpet and had a dance.
• The last dance had been played.
• He gesticulated comically and did a little dance.
• Everyone was taking part in the dance.
• The rules of classical dance.

Dance as a Verb

Definitions of "Dance" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “dance” as a verb can have the following definitions:

• Perform (a particular dance or a role in a ballet.
• (of a person) move in a quick and lively way.
• Skip, leap, or move up and down or sideways.
• Move in a graceful and rhythmical way.
• (of someone's eyes) sparkle with pleasure or excitement.
• Move up and down lightly and quickly in the air.
• Move rhythmically to music, typically following a set sequence of steps.
• Lead (a dancing partner) in a particular direction.
• Move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance.

Synonyms of "Dance" as a verb (38 Words)

bob	Ride a bobsled. The boys bobbed down the hill screaming with pleasure.
bounce	Hit something so that it bounces. A further two cheques of 160 also bounced.
bound	Of an object rebound from a surface. Bullets bounded off the veranda.
caper	Jump about playfully. Children were capering about the room.
cavort	Play boisterously. He d been cavorting with a hooker.
dart	Move along rapidly and lightly skim or dart. She darted across the street.
flick	Cause to move with a flick. The paper flicked.
flicker	Flash intermittently. The candle flickered.
flit	Move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart. Small birds flitted about in the branches.
frisk	Play boisterously. Spaniels frisked around me.
frolic	Play or move about in a cheerful and lively way. Edward frolicked on the sand.
gambol	Play boisterously. The mare gambolled towards her.
gyrate	To wind or move in a spiral course. The young people gyrated on the dance floor.
hop	Make a quick change of position or activity. He hopped down from the rock.
jig	Fish with a jig. He stood up and jigged in the cockpit.
jiggle	Shake (something) lightly up and down or from side to side. Don t jiggle your finger while the nurse is putting on the bandage.
joggle	Fasten or join with a joggle. Helium balloons were joggling above the crowds.
jump	Move or jump suddenly as if in surprise or alarm. Her new novel jumped high on the bestseller list.
leap	Cause to jump or leap. Peter leapt the last few stairs.
oscillate	Be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action. He oscillates between accepting the new position and retirement.
pirouette	Do a pirouette usually as part of a dance. She pirouetted and made a bow.
play	Play on an instrument. We played hockey all afternoon.
prance	Cause (a horse) to bound spring forward. She pranced around the lounge impersonating her favourite pop stars.
quiver	Cause (something) to make a slight rapid motion. The bird runs along in a zigzag path quivering its wings.
ripple	Stir up water so as to form ripples. A cool wind rippled the surface of the estuary.
romp	(especially of a child or animal) play roughly and energetically. Newcastle romped to victory.
shimmer	Give off a shimmering reflection as of silk. The sea shimmered in the sunlight.
skip	Cause to skip over a surface. After several wrong turns in our journey we almost decided to skip it.
sparkle	Be vivacious and witty. Unquarried marble sparkled on the hillside.
spin	Cause to spin. They spin wool into the yarn for weaving.
spring	Move rapidly or suddenly from a constrained position by or as if by the action of a spring. Madness and creativity could spring from the same source.
sway	Move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner. Wind rattled and swayed the trees.
trip	Make a trip for pleasure. They tripped up the terrace steps.
trip the light fantastic	Get high, stoned, or drugged.
trip the light fantastic toe	Cause to stumble.
twinkle	Smile so that one’s eyes sparkle. Does a constellation twinkle more brightly than a single star.
twirl	Spin quickly and lightly round, especially repeatedly. She twirled her fork in the pasta.
whirl	Move or cause to move rapidly round and round. Rising smoke whirled in the air.

Usage Examples of "Dance" as a verb

• They danced a tango.
• The children danced with joy.
• Midges danced over the stream.
• I danced her out of the room.
• All the men wanted her to dance with them.
• He grinned, his grey eyes dancing.
• She could see flames dancing in the fireplace.
• Their cheeks were pressed together as they danced.
• Sheila danced in gaily.
• My husband and I like to dance at home to the radio.
• The young girl danced into the room.
• He danced a variety of roles with that company.

Associations of "Dance" (30 Words)

acrobat	An athlete who performs acts requiring skill and agility and coordination.
artist	A person who habitually practises a specified reprehensible activity. Rip off artists.
ballet	A creative work or performance of ballet or the music written for it. The Bolshoi Ballet.
ballroom	Ballroom dancing. The number of people learning ballroom has doubled in the last two years.
bolero	A piece of music for or in the time of a bolero.
choreograph	Compose a sequence of dance steps, often to music. The meeting between the two Presidents had been carefully choreographed.
choreography	A show involving artistic dancing. The rumbustious choreography reflects the themes of the original play.
classical	Of or relating to the study of the literary works of ancient Greece and Rome. Classical music.
dancer	A person who participates in a social gathering arranged for dancing (as a ball. She thought he would become a ballet dancer.
dancing	The activity of dancing for pleasure or in order to entertain others. A dancing class.
disco	The lighting and sound equipment used at a disco. The Bee Gees disco classic Staying Alive.
diva	A self-important person who is temperamental and difficult to please (typically used of a woman. She is much more the dedicated maverick than the petulant diva.
eurhythmics	The interpretation in harmonious bodily movements of the rhythm of musical compositions; used to teach musical understanding.
festival	A day or period of time set aside for feasting and celebration. Traditional Jewish festivals.
genre	A style of expressing yourself in writing. Genre scenes.
hop	The act of hopping jumping upward or forward especially on one foot. He hopped down from the rock.
kachina	A small carved figure representing a kachina.
mazurka	Music composed for dancing the mazurka.
medley	Make a medley of intermix. A medley of Beatles songs.
music	The sounds produced by singers or musical instruments or reproductions of such sounds. Tony learned to read music.
opera	A building for the performance of opera. It was the best performance of the opera he had ever heard.
performance	A task or operation seen in terms of how successfully it is performed. They admired his performance under stress.
pianist	A person who plays the piano, especially professionally.
polka	Dance the polka. A man and wife polkaing are easy to spot.
pop	Of a person s ears make a small popping sound within the head as pressure is equalized typically because of a change of altitude. He popped me on the head.
quadrille	A piece of music for a quadrille. A 32 horse quadrille.
repertoire	The entire range of skills or aptitudes or devices used in a particular field or occupation. His repertoire of denigratory gestures.
rhythm	A person s natural feeling for musical rhythm. Melodies with deep African rhythms.
song	A musical composition suggestive of a song. A successful musical must have at least three good songs.
techno	A style of fast heavy electronic dance music usually without vocals.