Illustration of tabla
: a pair of small different-sized hand drums used especially in music of India
Examples of tabla in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Mimi Lien’s sky-high scenic design is an absolute wonder, with customary Indian iron gates, walls full of worn out posters of past Bollywood films, and housing filled with traditional Indian sounds coming from mridangams and tablas.
—
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
On June 12, master musicians explore the intricate rhythms of Indian tabla, the thunderous power of Japanese taiko, and the dynamic energy of an all-women Brazilian percussion ensemble.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Also appearing on the album are American composer Elliot Cole on synthesizer, French composer Benoit Rolland on electro-acoustics and Bangladeshi tabla virtuoso Mir Naqibul Islam.
—Arts Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Think of it as the vocal equivalent of tabla drums, but created entirely with the human voice.
—Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tabla
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.
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
On June 12, master musicians explore the intricate rhythms of Indian tabla, the thunderous power of Japanese taiko, and the dynamic energy of an all-women Brazilian percussion ensemble.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Also appearing on the album are American composer Elliot Cole on synthesizer, French composer Benoit Rolland on electro-acoustics and Bangladeshi tabla virtuoso Mir Naqibul Islam.
—Arts Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Think of it as the vocal equivalent of tabla drums, but created entirely with the human voice.
—Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tabla
Cite this Entry
“Tabla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tabla. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
