incidental music

noun

: descriptive music played during a play to project a mood or to accompany stage action

Examples of incidental music in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Koerner’s score only has four songs, but the accordionist provides jaunty incidental music throughout, accompanied by the ensemble on a variety of percussion instruments. Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025 The aha came after intermission, when Dudamel conducted Mendelssohn’s incidental music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Justin Davidson, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2024 Later, the theater noticed his composition skill, and hired him to write small pieces of incidental music. Jeffrey Arlo Brown, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2023 There was also dance and incidental music arranger Glen Kelly, who translated Nicholaw’s thoughts about a number’s feel, movements and beats. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2023 See All Example Sentences for incidental music

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of incidental music was in 1864

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Cite this Entry

“Incidental music.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incidental%20music. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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