English Reference

Word

symphonic

Phoneticssym·phon·ic

US/sɪmˈfɑnɪk/

UK/sɪmfˈɒnɪk/

Definition

adj. relating to a symphony, which is a large piece of music played by an orchestra. It can also describe something that is very grand or impressive in a way that feels like a symphony.

adj. relating to or characteristic of a symphony. Often used to describe music that is large in scale, complex in structure, or emotionally expansive.

Examples

“The composer wrote a symphonic piece for the orchestra.”

“The film's score features a symphonic arrangement that builds tension during the final act.”

“The artist's latest exhibition is a symphonic celebration of nature, featuring hundreds of small paintings that together form a single, cohesive narrative.”

Examples

simple

“The composer wrote a symphonic piece for the orchestra.”

contextual

“The film's score features a symphonic arrangement that builds tension during the final act.”

complex

“The artist's latest exhibition is a symphonic celebration of nature, featuring hundreds of small paintings that together form a single, cohesive narrative.”

Real-World Examples

“Since the work’s publication in 1855, US composers in their dozens had turned it into cantatas, operas and symphonic works.”
The Guardian · 12 Aug 2026
“Photograph: Chris Christodoulou/BBC The Purgatorio movement from Adès’s Dante emerged from gusts of air blown through brass and wind instruments to reach magnificent symphonic tintinnabulations in its final bars.”
The Guardian · 9 Aug 2026

Etymology

From symphony + -ic.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

symphonicAdjectivesymphonyNoun

Domain

Music

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/symphonic

English Reference