Meaning & use
ritardando
Last updated
A musical direction indicating a gradual slowing down of tempo.
See it in a sentence
The pianist eased into a ritardando before the final chord.
The score marks a ritardando in the last four bars of the movement.
A note on using this word
Borrowed directly from Italian, meaning 'delaying,' it is often abbreviated 'rit.' in sheet music.
Words with a similar meaning
rallentando
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ritardando”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.