crooner
C1informal, sometimes slightly humorous or historical
Definition
Meaning
A singer, typically male, who sings popular sentimental songs in a soft, low, intimate voice.
The term can be used, often slightly humorously or critically, to describe any singer who performs in a smooth, mellow, and sentimental style, or to evoke the era of such singers (1930s–1950s). It can also be extended metaphorically to describe someone who speaks or communicates in an overly smooth, persuasive, or sentimental manner.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is strongly associated with a specific era and style of popular music (big band, swing, traditional pop). While the core meaning is neutral, it can carry connotations of old-fashioned charm or, conversely, excessive sentimentality and lack of edge.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is equally understood and used in both varieties, referring to the same cultural phenomenon (e.g., Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra).
Connotations
Slight tendency in British English to use it with a more ironic or nostalgic nuance. In American English, it might be used more directly as a stylistic label.
Frequency
Low-to-medium frequency in both, primarily in cultural, musical, or historical contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[adjective] croonercrooner of [genre/era]crooner like [name]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not a common idiom source]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in marketing for nostalgic branding (e.g., 'The campaign has a crooner-like intimacy').
Academic
Used in musicology, cultural studies, or history papers discussing 20th-century popular music.
Everyday
Used when discussing music, parents'/grandparents' music, or describing a singer's style (e.g., 'He's a bit of a crooner').
Technical
Not technical. Used descriptively in music journalism or criticism.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He began to croon the old ballad softly into the microphone.
- The father would croon lullabies to his baby.
American English
- He crooned a classic Sinatra tune at the wedding.
- The singer crooned his way through the love song.
adverb
British English
- He sang crooningly to the crowd. (Very rare/archaic)
- (Note: Standard adverb is 'crooningly', but it is extremely uncommon).
American English
- (Not used as a standard adverb).
adjective
British English
- He has a very crooner-like quality to his voice.
- (Note: 'crooning' is the participial adjective, e.g., 'a crooning voice').
American English
- The band played a set of crooner classics.
- He adopted a crooner style for the final number.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandfather likes music from old crooners.
- He is a singer. Some people call him a crooner.
- Frank Sinatra was a famous American crooner.
- The radio station plays music from crooners from the 1940s.
- The new singer has been praised for his crooner-like vocals, which are a nod to the jazz age.
- Despite being a rock band, their latest album features a track where the lead singer channels his inner crooner.
- The article deconstructed the crooner's persona as a carefully manufactured blend of intimacy and masculinity for a mass audience.
- His political speeches were delivered with the seductive, reassuring cadence of a nightclub crooner, disarming critics with charm rather than substance.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a singer CROONing under the moON, sounding smooth like a RUnt. CROON + ER = one who croons.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOUND IS TEXTURE (smooth, velvet voice); INTIMACY IS PHYSICAL CLOSENESS (singing as if to one person).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation to 'ворчун' (grumbler) or 'сопун' (sniveller). The Russian cultural equivalent is closer to 'эстрадный певец лирического плана' or the borrowed 'крунер'.
- The verb 'to croon' does not mean 'to sing loudly or operatically'.
Common Mistakes
- Mispronouncing as /ˈkraʊnə(r)/ (like 'crown').
- Using it for any soft singer without the specific sentimental, pre-rock era connotation.
- Spelling: 'cr**oo**ner' not 'crouner'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is LEAST likely to be described as a crooner?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is descriptive but can be used positively (charming, classic, smooth) or negatively/ironically (old-fashioned, overly sentimental, schmaltzy), depending on context and tone.
Traditionally and most commonly, it refers to male singers. A female singer with a similar style is more often called a 'torch singer' or simply a jazz/pop vocalist. However, modern usage is becoming more flexible.
A crooner specifically uses a soft, intimate, and often unamplified or lightly amplified singing technique, focusing on phrasing and sentimentality, and is strongly linked to the pre-rock and roll era of popular music (swing, big band). A 'pop singer' is a much broader, era-neutral term.
Primarily yes, but it can be extended metaphorically to mean speaking in a soft, gentle, or persuasive murmur (e.g., 'He crooned words of comfort to the child').