1
: rhythm characterized by strong syncopation in the melody with a regularly accented accompaniment in stride-piano style
2
: music having ragtime rhythm
Examples of ragtime in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yeston, who also co-wrote Nine and Grand Hotel, melds orchestra depth with touches of ragtime and Irish folk music.
—
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 June 2024
Derived from ragtime and blues, cultivated in turn-of-the-century New Orleans, and rising to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance, the genre is a crossroads where music meets the march for justice.
—Ryan Doan-Nguyen and Aaron Morrison, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2024
He’s left a distinctive stamp on the orchestra’s sound in the years since, whether declaiming the beginning of Mahler 5 with a preacher’s conviction or, as in a recent Ravinia concert, tossing off a ragtime solo with waggish virtuosity.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2024
Father-son duo (Barron and Donald Ryan) performs jazz, ragtime, classical and gospel song arrangements on two grand pianos.
—Eric E. Harrison, arkansasonline.com, 27 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for ragtime 
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Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 June 2024
Derived from ragtime and blues, cultivated in turn-of-the-century New Orleans, and rising to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance, the genre is a crossroads where music meets the march for justice.
—Ryan Doan-Nguyen and Aaron Morrison, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2024
He’s left a distinctive stamp on the orchestra’s sound in the years since, whether declaiming the beginning of Mahler 5 with a preacher’s conviction or, as in a recent Ravinia concert, tossing off a ragtime solo with waggish virtuosity.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2024
Father-son duo (Barron and Donald Ryan) performs jazz, ragtime, classical and gospel song arrangements on two grand pianos.
—Eric E. Harrison, arkansasonline.com, 27 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for ragtime
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Cite this Entry
“Ragtime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ragtime. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ragtime
noun
rag·time
ˈrag-ˌtīm 
1
: music played with a strong march-style rhythm and a lively melody with accented notes falling on beats that are not usually accented
2
: music having ragtime rhythm
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