audition

/ɔˈdɪʃən/
/ɔˈdɪʃɪn/
IPA guide

Other forms: auditions; auditioned; auditioning

An audition is a tryout for a role in a movie, orchestra, or play. If you bomb the audition, you probably won't make it into the cast.

When describing a tryout in which an actor, singer, musician, or dancer tries to prove that he or she is talented enough to earn a part in a show, audition is used as a noun. The word can also be used as a verb, as in, "I auditioned for the part of Peter Pan, but every time I tried to fly I fell flat on my face." Audition shares a common heritage with audience, the group of people who will eventually watch the show for which a performer has auditioned. Both words come from the Middle French term meaning "power of hearing."

Definitions of audition
  1. verb
    perform in order to get a role
    “She auditioned for a role on Broadway”
    synonyms: try out
    see moresee less
    types:
    read
    audition for a stage role by reading parts of a role
    type of:
    perform
    give a performance (of something)
  2. noun
    a test of the suitability of a performer
    synonyms: tryout
    see moresee less
    types:
    screen test
    a filmed audition of an actor or actress
    type of:
    run, test, trial
    the act of testing something
  3. noun
    the ability to hear; the auditory faculty
    synonyms: auditory modality, auditory sense, hearing, sense of hearing
    see moresee less
    types:
    ear
    good hearing
    absolute pitch, perfect pitch
    the ability to identify the pitch of a tone
    type of:
    modality, sense modality, sensory system
    a particular sense
    exteroception
    sensitivity to stimuli originating outside of the body
Pronunciation
US
/ɔˈdɪʃən/
UK
/ɔˈdɪʃɪn/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘audition'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family

Vocabulary lists containing audition

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Common Senses: Aud ("Hear")

Learn these words that contain the root aud, from the Latin verb audire, "to hear." Here are links to the complete set of Common Senses lists: Hearing: Phon / Aud / Son Sight: Vid, Vis / Spec, Spect, Spic / Op, Ops, Opt Touch: Path / Sent, Sens / Tact, Tang

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aud

This vocabulary list features words with the Latin root that means "to hear."

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