Rubato
adverb /ruːˈbɑː.toʊ/ — Performed with expressive flexibility in tempo.
Definition
A musical direction meaning the performer may freely speed up or slow down the tempo for expressive purposes — literally 'stolen time'. The music breathes rather than marches. Associated especially with Romantic piano music.
Beyond the definition
Rubato is how music sighs. It's the musical equivalent of pausing before the crucial word, of dragging a step when you don't want to leave. It makes the music feel inhabited.
Origin & history
Italian: 'robbed' or 'stolen'; past participle of 'rubare' (to rob). The concept of 'time robbing' — taking from one note to give to another — captured how Chopin described his expressive timing.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Chopin's piano music is unplayable without rubato — a metronomic performance would be correct and completely wrong.
She played the nocturne with such natural rubato that it seemed to breathe — the rhythm gave way to feeling.
He spoke with rubato — quick through the facts, lingering where the emotion lived.
How to use it
This entry uses an adverb. Use its existing form; do not automatically add -ly. Follow the examples for placement.
Choose “Rubato” when the meaning fits your context: A musical direction meaning the performer may freely speed up or slow down the tempo for expressive purposes — literally 'stolen time'. The music breathes rather than marches. Associated especially with Romantic piano music.
Synonyms
flexible tempo, expressive timing, free rhythm
Antonyms
strict tempo, metronomic, mechanical
Related words
Rubato vs tempo giusto
Rubato involves expressive, flexible deviations from a strict beat. Tempo giusto requires the performer to maintain a steady, 'proper' rhythmic pace throughout.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Musician's Fingers Showing Intense Skill
A close-up shows the slight tension and blurred motion of a violinist's fingers as they move across the strings with expressive intensity.
Rubato is the expressive fluctuation of tempo, where the beat breathes. The blurred motion and tension in the musician's fingers capture this 'stolen time,' emphasizing spontaneity over a rigid, mechanical rhythm.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Rubato" mean?
Rubato is adverb meaning: Performed with expressive flexibility in tempo.. A musical direction meaning the performer may freely speed up or slow down the tempo for expressive purposes — literally 'stolen time'. The music breathes rather than marches. Associated especially with Romantic piano music.
Where does the word "Rubato" come from?
Italian: 'robbed' or 'stolen'; past participle of 'rubare' (to rob). The concept of 'time robbing' — taking from one note to give to another — captured how Chopin described his expressive timing.