folk ballad

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 Western folk ballad “Clementine” appeared in more than two dozen known 19th-century song collections, with an estimated cumulative circulation in the tens of thousands.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 1, 2026

Released in 1976, less than a year after the ship’s sinking, his folk ballad became an instant hit, turning a regional disaster into an international elegy.

From Slate • Nov. 10, 2025

So Hart wrote — and sang — original songs, including a Christmas carol and a lonely folk ballad that plays over a pivotal scene where Gawain rides home from his quest.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2021

The black laborer’s brawny exploits in building the C&O Railroad had inspired a famous folk ballad — as well as the novel Whitehead was struggling to write.

From New York Times • Oct. 21, 2021

The anonymous ballad dealing with the familiar story of Nathan Hale, of Revolutionary times, is the nearest approach to the old folk ballad in our history.

From Children's Literature A Textbook of Sources for Teachers and Teacher-Training Classes by Clippinger, Erle Elsworth