call-and-response

noun

call-and-re·​sponse ˌkȯl-ən(d)-ri-ˈspän(t)s How to pronounce call-and-response (audio)
: a statement quickly followed by an answering statement
also : a musical phrase in which the first and often solo part is answered by a second and often ensemble part

Examples of call-and-response in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Pos asked the crowd, referencing Maseo’s Ralph Lauren wears, before challenging the men and women in their crowd to make their presence felt via the customary call-and-response routine. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 30 Jan. 2025 Me Da La Gana with lively plena, a Puerto-Rican folk call-and-response genre. Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2025 Produced by Luke himself, the track is built around infectious call-and-response vocals, rapid-fire hi-hats, and a pulsating 808 bassline that rattled trunks across South Florida. Walaa Elsiddig, Billboard, 6 Dec. 2024 But beyond its on-screen appeal, the Jamaican folk song is ideal for kids who enjoy repetition and call-and-response, two popular characteristics of children’s music, presented here in a format that parents will find catchy, too. Stephanie Ganz, Parents, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for call-and-response 

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of call-and-response was in 1827

Dictionary Entries Near call-and-response

Cite this Entry

“Call-and-response.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call-and-response. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.

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