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
Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Also on the schedule for the Wednesday night event were hymns from the Marine Corps Band and singer Charles Billingsley was to perform Christian opera, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
—Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Fueled by fantasy, Something Beautiful is a one-of-a-kind pop opera featuring thirteen original new songs from the Something
Beautiful album.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025
Why, many onlookers have asked, should an orchestra or opera company gobble up millions of dollars from wealthy sponsors to subsidize the salaries of musicians who mainly perform music by white men from centuries past, music for which (judging by ticket sales) demand is limited?
—Matthew Aucoin, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
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Noun
Watch the singers’ faces, the small gestures, the atmosphere —opera is theatre, just get completely involved.
—Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Also on the schedule for the Wednesday night event were hymns from the Marine Corps Band and singer Charles Billingsley was to perform Christian opera, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
—Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Fueled by fantasy, Something Beautiful is a one-of-a-kind pop opera featuring thirteen original new songs from the Something
Beautiful album.
—Katcy Stephan, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025
Why, many onlookers have asked, should an orchestra or opera company gobble up millions of dollars from wealthy sponsors to subsidize the salaries of musicians who mainly perform music by white men from centuries past, music for which (judging by ticket sales) demand is limited?
—Matthew Aucoin, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 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 24 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
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