big band

noun

: a band that is larger than a combo and that usually features a mixture of ensemble playing and solo improvisation typical of jazz or swing

Examples of big band in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Its roots in Southern music run deep and broad; big band leader Erskine Hawkins, composer and musician Sun Ra, country legend Emmylou Harris, and trap pioneer Gucci Mane were born here. — Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026 One thing Raye will never pass up is an opportunity to bring big band back to big stages. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026 An actual big band stationed on a scaffold upstage evokes the roaring ‘20s. — Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 Running through July 25 in various locales across town and famously covering myriad genres — jazz, big band, folk, bluegrass, pop, piano, chamber music, opera and symphonic — this year’s programming focuses on Beethoven. — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for big band

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of big band was in 1917

Rhymes for big band

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Browse Nearby Words

big bad
big band
big bang
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Cite this Entry

“Big band.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20band. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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