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
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
The second of two children, with an older brother, Jacob, age 28, Sarah Milgrim as a child sang opera twice with the children’s chorus at the Lyric Opera.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
Highlights include opera at the Glyndebourne Festival; flat racing at the Epsom Derby, Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood meetings; rowing at the Henley Royal Regatta; yachting at Cowes and, of course, tennis at Wimbledon.
—Ian King, CNBC, 22 May 2025
Machover’s opera begins and ends with Thalberg as a framing devise.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for opera
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Noun
Rolling Stone called Christine and the Queens’ 2023 three-part pop opera, Paranoïa, Angels, True Love, one of the year’s best albums.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
The second of two children, with an older brother, Jacob, age 28, Sarah Milgrim as a child sang opera twice with the children’s chorus at the Lyric Opera.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
Highlights include opera at the Glyndebourne Festival; flat racing at the Epsom Derby, Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood meetings; rowing at the Henley Royal Regatta; yachting at Cowes and, of course, tennis at Wimbledon.
—Ian King, CNBC, 22 May 2025
Machover’s opera begins and ends with Thalberg as a framing devise.
—Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 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 3 Jun. 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
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