Play this passage legato, not portato.
Source: wiktionary
Legato
/ləˈɡɑ.toʊ/
Synonyms for "legato" (86 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (18)
Strong matches (25)
cantandocapricciosocon affettocon agilitacon agitazionecon amorecrescendodecrescendodemilegatodiminuendodolceexecutionexpressionfingeringfortefortissimoglissando
Adjective(8 words)
Related words (43)
Adjective(3 words)
Verb(1 words)
Noun(1 words)
slurring sounds
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: smooth, a cappella, abbandono, accrescendo, adagietto.
- Sentence evidence is available for legato, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "legato".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "legato"
Keep "legato" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "legato" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "legato", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "legato" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
8 entriesexpository legatolegatissimolegato linelegato passagelegato phrasinglegato progressionnarrative legatoportato
Collocations
8 entrieslegato articulationlegato bowinglegato linelegato passagelegato phraselegato phrasinglegato stylesmooth legato
Inflections
3 entriesAntonyms
2 entriesTranslations
15 translations across 12 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- լեգատո noun (slur curve)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 連奏 /连奏 noun (slur curve)
Finnish
3 entries- legato noun (slur curve)
- legatokaari noun (slur curve)
- sidekaari noun (slur curve)
French
1 entries- lié noun (slur curve)
German
2 entries- gebunden noun (slur curve)
- legato noun (slur curve)
Greek
1 entries- λεγκατούρα noun (slur curve)
Japanese
1 entries- レガート noun (slur curve)
Māori
1 entries- rōnaki noun (slur curve)
Polish
1 entries- legato noun (slur curve)
Russian
1 entries- лега́то noun (slur curve)
Spanish
1 entries- ligado noun (slur curve)
Tagalog
1 entries- banayad noun (slur curve)
Sample sentences
8 total sentences available.
It is the coördination of the finger and hand as examplified in the proportionate speed of shifting according to the speed of the musical passage, which makes for evenness, continuity, smoothness, and ultimately, a fine legato.
Source: wiktionary
At the end of the prelude of Caprice V, there is a chromatic ascending and descending scale of forty-eight notes to be played in one bow in legato.
Source: wiktionary
Clementi, in his "Introduction to the art of playing the piano-forte" (1801) still had to advise pianists that : "the best general rule is to keep the keys of the instrument suppressed during the whole length of the note" (p.8) and "whenver the composer leaves the legato or staccato to the taste of the performer, the best rule is to use the legato in most cases and to reserve the staccato in order to give particular passages more spirit and to enhance the higher beauties of the legato."
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 8 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "legato"?
Closest matches include smooth, a cappella, abbandono, accrescendo, adagietto.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "legato"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.