What does "chant" mean?
Type of singing done generally without instruments and harmony.
Chant
/t͡ʃænt/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Type of singing done generally without instruments and harmony.
- Grammar: chant is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abracadabra, agnus dei, alba, alleluia.
- Useful contrasts: plain speech, scats, silence.
- Usage evidence: Tom listened to Gregorian chant.
How to use "chant"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chant" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chant" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chant" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "chant" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abracadabra" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "chant", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Type of singing done generally without instruments and harmony.
- 2 a repetitive song in which as many syllables as necessary are assigned to a single tone wordnet
- 3 A short and simple melody to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung or recited.
- 4 A short and simple melody to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung or recited.; A harmonized melody used in Anglican chant, usually split into two two-bar phrases, to which the words of a psalm are sung by a choir; typically, each musical phrase corresponds to the text of half of a verse.
- 5 Twang; manner of speaking; a canting tone.
"His strange face, his strange chant."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A repetitive song, typically an incantation or part of a ritual.
Verb
- 1 To sing, especially without instruments, and as applied to monophonic and pre-modern music.
"the cherefull birds of sundry kind / Do chaunt sweet musick, to delight his mind"
- 2 recite with musical intonation; recite as a chant or a psalm wordnet
- 3 To sing or intone sacred text.
- 4 utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically wordnet
- 5 To utter or repeat in a strongly rhythmical manner, especially as a group.
"The football fans chanted insults at the referee."
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- 6 To sell horses fraudulently, exaggerating their merits. archaic, transitive
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from French.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Tom listened to Gregorian chant."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "chant"?
Common synonyms include: abracadabra, agnus dei, alba, alleluia, alleluias, answer.
How do you use "chant" in a sentence?
Tom listened to Gregorian chant.
How do you pronounce "chant"?
Pronounced /t͡ʃænt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English chaunten, from Old French chanter, from Latin cantāre (“sing”). Doublet of cant.
Etymology 2
Probably a nickname from French chant (“song, melody”).