theme song

noun

plural theme songs

1

: a song or melody strongly associated with someone or something

a famous performer's theme song

the theme song of a political campaign

often : an identifying melody or song typically played at the beginning of a movie, television show, etc., and sometimes recurring during its course

Some of these shows were truly unforgettable, with catchy theme songs that are instantly recognizable decades later.

—Grant Butler

2

: a statement, expression, or opinion repeatedly heard from someone

But literary history is also entangled with criticism. Inevitably so; let me revert unblushingly to my theme song: in order to appreciate a masterpiece, we must be acquainted with its language …

—Albert Guerard

Examples of theme song in a Sentence

He was playing the theme song from “The Godfather.”

Recent Examples on the Web

New tunes alert: Philly's FIFA World Cup 2026 official theme song just dropped. —Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025

Answer: Jeff Townes In the theme song, what does Will shout to the cabbie? —Marilyn La Jeunesse, Parents, 13 Mar. 2025

This song is being featured as the theme song for Honnou Switch, the drama series starring member Kaito Miyachika and actress Wakana Aoi, and is the first CD single by the seven-member boy band. —Billboard Japan, Billboard, 12 Mar. 2025

Berry, who was a Bond girl in 2002's Die Another Day, announced the musical performance, which kicked off with an orchestral version of the Bond theme song. —Lindsay Kimble, People.com, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for theme song

• evensong
• livelong
• overlong
• vietcong
• agung
• along
• belong
• birdsong
• furlong
• headlong
• headstrong
• lifelong