audition
gb/ɔdˈɪʃən/ us/ɔdˈɪʃən/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
event
1
tryout for a performing role
a short performance to try to get a part in a show or movie
Usage pattern:
an audition (for [a role/show/band])
Common mistake:
Often confused with addition; audition is about being tested for a role.
Synonyms
tryout (More general; not only for performing arts.)
|
casting (Refers to the selection process, not the performance itself.)
Collocations
have an audition
|go to an audition
|an audition for a role
|a singing audition
|a dance audition
|a school audition
|an audition slot
|ace an audition
|fail an audition
|audition nerves
Themes
arts
|music
|theater
|film_tv
|work
Examples
- She has an audition for a Broadway show next week.
- I was so nervous at the audition that I forgot one line.
- They held auditions all day to find the lead actor.
Learner examples
- I have an audition tomorrow.
- He went to an audition for a movie.
Verb
B2
action
2
perform a tryout for a role
to perform to try to get a part in a show or band
Usage pattern:
audition (for [a role/band/show])
Common mistake:
Learners may wrongly say *auditioning to*; the most common pattern is audition for [role].
Synonyms
try out (More informal; used in many contexts beyond performance.)
Collocations
audition for a role
|audition for a part
|audition for the choir
|audition for a band
|audition for a scholarship
|audition successfully
|audition again
|audition in New York
|audition next week
|audition at the theater
Themes
arts
|music
|theater
|film_tv
|work
Examples
- Hundreds of dancers auditioned for the tour.
- She auditioned for the role of Juliet and got a callback.
- He auditioned twice before he was accepted into the program.
Learner examples
- She auditioned for the school play.
- I want to audition for the band.
Verb
C1
action
3
test someone in an audition
to watch and judge someone performing for a role
Usage pattern:
audition [someone] (for [a role/show])
Common mistake:
This transitive use (audition someone) is less common than audition for a role.
Synonyms
screen (Often used for checking suitability in general; can be less performance-focused.)
|
cast (Focuses on choosing the performers, not the test itself.)
Collocations
audition actors
|audition singers
|audition dancers
|audition candidates
|audition someone for the lead
|audition people all day
|audition new talent
|audition finalists
|audition the cast
|audition replacements
Themes
arts
|music
|theater
|film_tv
|work
Examples
- The director auditioned dozens of actors for the lead.
- They auditioned her for the role, but she was too young.
- The label auditioned several bands before signing one.
Learner examples
- The director auditioned three actors today.
Noun
technical
C2
state
4
the sense of hearing
the ability to hear
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s audition
Common mistake:
In everyday English, people usually say hearing, not audition.
Synonyms
hearing (The standard everyday word.)
Antonyms
deafness (Lack or loss of hearing ability.)
Collocations
normal audition
|impaired audition
|loss of audition
|audition and vision
Themes
health
|science
Examples
- The study examined vision and audition in older adults.
- The drug may affect audition at high doses.
Grammar
Dictionary form
audition
IPA
GB/ɔdˈɪʃən/
US/ɔdˈɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
au - di - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (di)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: audition
- Plural: audition, auditions
Verb
- Base: audition
- 3rd Person Singular: auditions
- Present Participle: auditioning
- Past: auditioned
Word family
Forms
auditions
noun
auditioning
verb
auditioned
verb
Related words
auditioner
noun
auditionee
noun
Expressions
audition for
1/ɔdˈɪʃən fɚ/
fixed phrase
try out for a role
to perform to try to get a part
Examples
- She’s auditioning for the lead role.
- He auditioned for the choir but didn’t get in.
- Are you going to audition for the new series?
audition panel
1/ɔdˈɪʃən pˈænəl/
fixed phrase
group judging auditions
the people who judge the audition
Examples
- The audition panel asked her to sing it again more slowly.
- He tried not to look at the audition panel during his monologue.
- An audition panel of three directors made the final decision.
audition piece
1/ɔdˈɪʃən pˈis/
fixed phrase
song or monologue for audition
a short work you perform at an audition
Examples
- Pick an audition piece that suits your voice.
- His audition piece was a monologue from Shakespeare.
- She practiced her audition piece every day for a month.
audition tape
1/ɔdˈɪʃən tˈeɪp/
fixed phrase
recording used for a tryout
a video/audio recording for an audition
Examples
- She submitted an audition tape for the series.
- They asked me to re-record my audition tape with better sound.
- His audition tape went viral online.
closed audition
1/klˈoʊzd ɔdˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
audition by invitation only
an audition only for invited people
Examples
- After the first round, they moved to a closed audition.
- It’s a closed audition, so you need an invitation.
- Only agents could submit clients for the closed audition.
open audition
1/ˈoʊpən ɔdˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
audition anyone can attend
an audition that anyone can join
Examples
- The company is holding an open audition for dancers.
- We lined up early for the open audition.
- It was an open audition, so the waiting room was packed.