1
: a ballroom dance in ³/₄ time with strong accent on the first beat and a basic pattern of step-step-close
2
: music for a waltz or a concert composition in ³/₄ time
waltzed; waltzing; waltzes
1
: to dance a waltz
2
: to move or advance in a lively or conspicuous manner : flounce
3
a
: to advance easily and successfully : breeze
—often used with through
b
: to approach boldly
—used with up
can't just waltz up and introduce ourselves
waltzer
noun
Examples of waltz in a Sentence
Noun
They danced a waltz together.
Johann Strauss wrote many beautiful waltzes.
Verb
He waltzed with his daughter at her wedding.
He waltzed her around the dance floor.
He came waltzing into the room.
She waltzed right up to him and introduced herself.
Recent Examples on the Web
Eve M. Kahn, New York Times, 8 May 2024
Characteristically, the church was not celebrating the Fourth with beer or barbecue but with a waltz.
—Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
But their stay was limited, ensuring that Phish’s Sphere term couldn’t be categorized as a last waltz, self-elegy, or living-museum situation.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2024
The animal kingdom has no shortage of dance moves, from flamingoes’ synchronized sashays to the waltzes of scorpions.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024
The song is a waltz, heavy on strings and keyboard, with Flores almost screaming the refrain in his pained twang.
—Josh Crutchmer, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
While host Julianne Hough, as well as her brother Derek, said that Alyson's waltz was her best dance of the season.
—EW.com, 28 Nov. 2023
That waltz was filled with traditional ballroom content and was executed with such grace.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 29 Nov. 2023
In 1967, Janis accidentally discovered two previously unknown manuscripts of Chopin waltzes in France and later found two others while teaching at Yale University.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Mar. 2024
Stephen Daw, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Anika Noni Rose as Elena, the young wife of Alfred Molina’s Alexander who upsets the household with her seductive beauty, is forced to waltz about the stage in cumbersome getups that look like nothing anyone would wear for another day of rusticating tedium.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2024
Some play major roles, while others show up for a punch line or two then waltz off into the Space Age distance.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2024
Until suddenly, the lights went dim, and Grammy Award-winner Macy Gray waltzed into the spotlight.
—Eliseé Browchuk, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2024
Whoever prevails will waltz into Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11 and compete against the winner of Sunday's Detroit Lions versus San Francisco 49ers game.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024
The children took turns waltzing with the clowns and tumbling and tripping on Ali’s oversized shoes, provoking a riot of laughter.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Governor Mark Robinson defeated two other Republican candidates on Super Tuesday, waltzing to a contest against Democratic nominee current Attorney General Josh Stein.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024
The original is a midtempo waltz about finding joy in the ordinary, first sung on Broadway by Mary Martin a year before Coltrane’s historic Atlantic sessions.
—Jeff MacGregor, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Jan. 2024
Noun
During the Titanic’s maiden voyage, musicians played pianos from Steinway & Sons to entertain passengers with waltzes and opera overtures.
—Eve M. Kahn, New York Times, 8 May 2024
Characteristically, the church was not celebrating the Fourth with beer or barbecue but with a waltz.
—Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
But their stay was limited, ensuring that Phish’s Sphere term couldn’t be categorized as a last waltz, self-elegy, or living-museum situation.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2024
The animal kingdom has no shortage of dance moves, from flamingoes’ synchronized sashays to the waltzes of scorpions.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024
The song is a waltz, heavy on strings and keyboard, with Flores almost screaming the refrain in his pained twang.
—Josh Crutchmer, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024
While host Julianne Hough, as well as her brother Derek, said that Alyson's waltz was her best dance of the season.
—EW.com, 28 Nov. 2023
That waltz was filled with traditional ballroom content and was executed with such grace.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 29 Nov. 2023
In 1967, Janis accidentally discovered two previously unknown manuscripts of Chopin waltzes in France and later found two others while teaching at Yale University.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Mar. 2024
Verb
Starting out among the audience in Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Rhett waltzed through the crowd of fellow attendees while singing the first verse of his latest single, stopping to take the occasional selfie and wave at his friends and colleagues.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 3 Sep. 2019
Anika Noni Rose as Elena, the young wife of Alfred Molina’s Alexander who upsets the household with her seductive beauty, is forced to waltz about the stage in cumbersome getups that look like nothing anyone would wear for another day of rusticating tedium.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2024
Some play major roles, while others show up for a punch line or two then waltz off into the Space Age distance.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2024
Until suddenly, the lights went dim, and Grammy Award-winner Macy Gray waltzed into the spotlight.
—Eliseé Browchuk, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2024
Whoever prevails will waltz into Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11 and compete against the winner of Sunday's Detroit Lions versus San Francisco 49ers game.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024
The children took turns waltzing with the clowns and tumbling and tripping on Ali’s oversized shoes, provoking a riot of laughter.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Governor Mark Robinson defeated two other Republican candidates on Super Tuesday, waltzing to a contest against Democratic nominee current Attorney General Josh Stein.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024
The original is a midtempo waltz about finding joy in the ordinary, first sung on Broadway by Mary Martin a year before Coltrane’s historic Atlantic sessions.
—Jeff MacGregor, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'waltz.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near waltz
Cite this Entry
“Waltz.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waltz. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
waltz
1 of 2 noun
: a ballroom dance in ¾ time with strong accent on the first beat
also
: music for a waltz
waltz
2 of 2 verb1
a
: to dance a waltz
b
: to dance a waltz with
2
a
: to proceed easily and successfully : breeze
waltzed through the test
b
: to approach boldly
can't just waltz up and introduce ourselves
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