# encore

/ˈɑnˌkɔɹ/ (US) · /ˈɒnkɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/encore
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. extra performance

noun · CEFR B2

an extra song or piece of music that a performer plays at the end of a concert because the audience is clapping loudly.

For teachers: an additional performance or repetition of a piece given by a performer in response to sustained applause from the audience.

- The band came back on stage for one last encore after the crowd refused to leave.
- The pianist's final encore was a delicate Chopin nocturne that provided a stark, haunting contrast to the technical fireworks of the main programme.

### 3. to request or perform extra

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

to ask for an extra performance, or for a performer to play an extra piece.

For teachers: to demand an extra performance from a musician or actor; also used to describe the act of performing the requested piece.

- The crowd encored the violinist three times before she finally left the stage.
- It is rare for a modern opera audience to encore a specific aria, as it often disrupts the dramatic flow of the production's narrative.

## Examples

- The band played three songs as an encore.
- After the final curtain call, the pianist returned to the stage for a brief encore of a Chopin nocturne.
- The crowd's thunderous ovation lasted nearly ten minutes, eventually compelling the weary lead singer to return for a final, unplanned encore that brought the house down.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.