op·era
ˈä-p(ə-)rə 
Southern also ˈä-prē
1
: a drama set to music and made up of vocal pieces with orchestral accompaniment and orchestral overtures (see overture entry 1 sense 2) and interludes (see interlude sense 2)
2
: the score (see score entry 1 sense 6) of a musical drama
The composer finished the opera in just six weeks.
3
: the performance of an opera
The opera was delayed a half hour due to technical difficulties.
also
: a house where operas are performed
We'll meet you at the opera at 7 p.m.
Examples of opera in a Sentence
Noun
I am going to an opera tonight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Addie Morfoot, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
Along with Jagger, who lived on the street in the 1970s, the collective included portrait artist Alice Neel, sculptor John Frederick Mowbray-Clarke, architect Henry Varnum Poor, opera composer Kurt Weill, singer Lotte Lenya, and poet/playwright Maxwell Anderson.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 18 Mar. 2025
Beginning in the ‘30s and really hitting their stride in the glorious color animation of the ‘40s and ‘50s, the Warner Bros. cartoons have certainly stretched the bounds of what’s possible in 8-11 minutes, from full opera spoofs to fourth-wall-breaking experiments.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2025
It is also flooded with Mozartian beauty that offers the depth of thought and feeling of the first modern opera.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opera
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.
Noun
Opera rap, soul and hip-hop combine in the high-stakes story of diverse, young singers (some of which have performed at the Sarasota Opera) vying to perform on the world’s biggest opera stages, and who express the love, struggle, heartbreak, sacrifice and joy of pursuing your dreams.
—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
Along with Jagger, who lived on the street in the 1970s, the collective included portrait artist Alice Neel, sculptor John Frederick Mowbray-Clarke, architect Henry Varnum Poor, opera composer Kurt Weill, singer Lotte Lenya, and poet/playwright Maxwell Anderson.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 18 Mar. 2025
Beginning in the ‘30s and really hitting their stride in the glorious color animation of the ‘40s and ‘50s, the Warner Bros. cartoons have certainly stretched the bounds of what’s possible in 8-11 minutes, from full opera spoofs to fourth-wall-breaking experiments.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2025
It is also flooded with Mozartian beauty that offers the depth of thought and feeling of the first modern opera.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opera
Cite this Entry
“Opera.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opera. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
opera
1 of 2plural of opus
opera
2 of 2 noun
op·era
ˈäp-(ə-)rə
1
: a play in which usually the entire text is sung with orchestral accompaniment
2
: the performance of an opera
operatic
adjective
ˌäp-ə-ˈrat-ik
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share