English Reference

Word

shazam

Phoneticsshaz·am

Definition

v. to identify a song or piece of music instantly. You use this when you hear a tune and want to know the name of the artist or the song.

v. to identify a song or piece of music by name or artist. Often used in the context of digital recognition software or when a person recognizes a melody by ear.

Examples

“I just shazam'd that song and found out it is by The Beatles.”

“As soon as the radio played the first few notes, I pulled out my phone to shazam the track.”

“The app allows users to shazam any melody they hear in real-time, providing immediate metadata about the song's title, artist, and release date.”

Examples

simple

“I just shazam'd that song and found out it is by The Beatles.”

contextual

“As soon as the radio played the first few notes, I pulled out my phone to shazam the track.”

complex

“The app allows users to shazam any melody they hear in real-time, providing immediate metadata about the song's title, artist, and release date.”

Real-World Examples

“Tilda Swinton polishes a bottle she buys in Istanbul and shazam!”
The Guardian · 3 Sept 2026

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/shazam

English Reference