karaoke

noun

kar·​a·​o·​ke ˌker-ē-ˈō-kē How to pronounce karaoke (audio)
ˌka-rē-,
also
kə-ˈrō-kē How to pronounce karaoke (audio) ˌkä-rä-ˈō-(ˌ)kā How to pronounce karaoke (audio)
: a device that plays instrumental accompaniments for a selection of songs to which the user sings along and that records the user's singing with the music
a karaoke machine
also : a form of entertainment involving the use of such a device (as in a bar)

Examples of karaoke in a Sentence

That bar has karaoke on Saturday night.
Recent Examples on the Web Jamie Eich, 58, opened the first iteration of Thai Angel, named after her daughter, in 1995 as a karaoke bar in Hollywood. Lina Abascal, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 At one event at River Bottom Winery -- a cozy spot tucked in the hills of Roland -- participants sang Swift's songs on karaoke, held a Swift lookalike contest, and took part in a trivia contest focused on the singer-songwriter. Parker Mancino, arkansasonline.com, 12 Feb. 2024 Late last year, Bon Jovi and his band filmed a music video for a new Christmas song at popular karaoke dive Santa’s Pub south of downtown. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024 It’s got a multi-level slide, a wraparound balcony, whirlpool, areas for karaoke and watching movies, and even a patio with ping-pong. David Dickstein, Orange County Register, 2 Feb. 2024 This exchange between Jason Mowatt, a 31-year-old from Washington, D.C., and a friend who was on his way to karaoke with coworkers, began a concept that would make waves in the hip-hop scene. Brianna Hamblin, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 In the past decade, YouTube, Snapchat, Amazon, Peloton, and any number of gaming companies, fitness apps, and purveyors of online karaoke have come to Grainge seeking licensing deals. John Seabrook, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2024 Dorian is known among seafarers for high wages, excellent benefits, and perks for its crews, including cruise-ship amenities like gyms, karaoke, and onboard holiday celebrations. Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, 14 Feb. 2024 The Royal Promenade, with karaoke and a piano bar, could get crowded and noisy at peak times. Ceylan Yeginsu Scott McIntyre, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'karaoke.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, from kara empty + ōke, short for ōkesutora orchestra

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of karaoke was in 1977

Dictionary Entries Near karaoke

Cite this Entry

“Karaoke.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/karaoke. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

karaoke

noun
kar·​a·​o·​ke ˌkar-ē-ˌō-kē How to pronounce karaoke (audio) kə-ˈrō-kē How to pronounce karaoke (audio)
: a device that plays music to which the user sings along and that records the user's singing with the music

More from Merriam-Webster on karaoke

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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