1
: rhythm characterized by strong syncopation in the melody with a regularly accented accompaniment in stride-piano style
2
: music having ragtime rhythm
Examples of ragtime in a Sentence
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The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra's Newport Ragtime Band focuses on turn-of-the-century ragtime, Dixieland, blues and early jazz (1898-1933).
—
Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Recordings cover the entire musical spectrum, including jazz, blues, ragtime, bluegrass, boogie-woogie, country, rock and pop.
—Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2025
Coalhouse Walker is a successful Black ragtime pianist whose dreams are crushed when his fiancée Sarah dies trying to defend his honor after a racist attack.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2025
The show starts calmly with the dapper musician Coalhouse Walker Jr. astride his piano bench, playing a gentle, lilting ragtime melody.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2025
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Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Recordings cover the entire musical spectrum, including jazz, blues, ragtime, bluegrass, boogie-woogie, country, rock and pop.
—Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2025
Coalhouse Walker is a successful Black ragtime pianist whose dreams are crushed when his fiancée Sarah dies trying to defend his honor after a racist attack.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2025
The show starts calmly with the dapper musician Coalhouse Walker Jr. astride his piano bench, playing a gentle, lilting ragtime melody.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ragtime
Cite this Entry
“Ragtime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ragtime. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ragtime
noun
rag·time
ˈrag-ˌtīm 
1
: music played with a strong march-style rhythm and a lively melody with accented notes falling on beats that are not usually accented
2
: music having ragtime rhythm
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