vibrato
Americannoun
plural
vibratosnoun
-
a slight, rapid, and regular fluctuation in the pitch of a note produced on a stringed instrument by a shaking movement of the hand stopping the strings
-
an oscillatory effect produced in singing by fluctuation in breath pressure or pitch
Etymology
Origin of vibrato
1860–65; < Italian < Latin vibrātus (past participle); vibrate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Stewart’s wild, shivering vibrato sliced through layers of fiddle and pedal steel, eventually grabbing the attention of Nashville bigwigs, including Roy Dea, a Texas-born record producer who would become one of Stewart’s loyal supporters.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
She has a vibrato that is out of place.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2025
The bottom of a block might be quiet, the top loud and individuals can add vibrato and other flourishes as they go, requiring skill and practice.
From BBC • Dec. 14, 2023
Across her wide contralto range she could easily alternate between thick vibrato and crystal-clear precision.
From New York Times • Oct. 4, 2023
The song winds down with a shivering vibrato on the cymbals.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.