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 performances are judged over 10 categories by a total of 40 judges, with the top 12 samba schools competing for the title.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

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

In a faded rehearsal hall in the gritty concrete sprawl of northern Rio de Janeiro, samba dancers and drummers fine-tune their rhythms for a grassroots carnival parade few tourists have heard of.

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

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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