samba

[sam-buh, sahm-] / ˈsæm bə, ˈsɑm- /

NOUN

dance

Synonyms

STRONGEST

disco tango waltz

STRONG

Charleston boogie conga foxtrot frolic hop hustle jig jitter jitterbug jive jump leap one-step promenade rhumba spin step swing tap twist two-step

WEAK

boogie down bunny hop cut a rug foot it get down rock n' roll trip the light fantastic

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.

Rio de Janeiro's annual carnival parade competition continued its tradition of vibrant dance and colour, with samba school Viradouro taking the crown for its tribute to its legendary drum director.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

Some promote their own big-name DJs and music stars, which have drawn complaints and fines for drowning out the sounds of samba.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

This contribution is part of a budget that benefits all 12 of the samba schools taking part in the main parade equally.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

And former Lioness and sports broadcaster Karen Carney and Carlos Gu took on the samba, dancing to The Rhythm Of Life from Sweet Charity.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2025

This includes older blended traditions such as rumba and samba, newer but well-established blended genres such as reggae and Afrobeat, and groups with unique experimental sounds borrowing from more than one tradition.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Vocabulary lists containing samba

South America - Middle School

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South America - Introductory

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South America - High School

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