Definitions

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.

The samba bands and their rhythms follow them around, and the World Cup is a combination of the things they love most.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

The scene stands in stark contrast to the glittering spectacle of the world-famous Sambodrome parade, which critics say has grown increasingly distant from the poor neighborhoods that sustain the roots of samba.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

Watching the rehearsal, Adriano Santos, a 43-year-old social worker from the Rocinha favela, said the samba school was "being brave, innovative."

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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