se·gue
ˈse-(ˌ)gwā 
ˈsā-
1
: proceed to what follows without pause
—used as a direction in music
2
: perform the music that follows like that which has preceded
—used as a direction in music
se·gue
ˈse-(ˌ)gwā
ˈsā-
segued; segueing
1
: to proceed without pause from one musical number or theme to another
2
: to make a transition without interruption from one activity, topic, scene, or part to another
segued smoothly into the next story
se·gue
ˈse-(ˌ)gwā
ˈsā-
: a transition made without pause or interruption : the act or an instance of segueing (see segue entry 2)
Did you know?
Segue vs Segway
Segue is occasionally found spelled segway, even in edited text. There are two likely reasons for this: the familiar suffix –way (as seen in driveway and runway) seems to agree with the notion of a segue as a "path" along which something transitions; and the existence of the homophone Segway as a trade name for an American company that produces electric transportation devices. The standard spelling segue comes from the use of the word's Italian root as a direction in music, indicating a transition without interruption.
Examples of segue in a Sentence
Verb
Then he quickly segues into the dangers of being too hard on cops who make an honest mistake. That turns out to be the moral of the story, the perils of politics intruding on the job.
—
Ted Conover, New York Times Book Review, 18 Apr. 2004
As the Klamath Mountains segue into the Coast Range, moist Pacific air creeps up the river valley in cottony mists.
—Bruce Barcott, Mother Jones, May–June 2003
But for casual acquaintances, keep your response brief. Just say "I'm happy for him," and segue into another topic.
—Kitty Flynn, Cosmopolitan, December 2000
She quickly segued to the next topic.
The band smoothly segued from one song to the next.
In the movie, a shot of the outside of the house segued neatly to a shot of the family inside the house.
Noun
The evening news continued, a fast segue into a promo for that night's showcase program, an inquiry into the sources of the civic genius of Bonaparte …
—Ward Just, Forgetfulness, (2006) 2007
Making a smooth segue into foreign policy, he offered a nuanced assessment of Russia's acting President Vladimir Putin as "showing signs of pragmatism," but added, correctly, that "anyone who tells you they have Putin figured out is blowing smoke."
—James Carney, Time, 21 Feb. 2000
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Ted Conover, New York Times Book Review, 18 Apr. 2004
As the Klamath Mountains segue into the Coast Range, moist Pacific air creeps up the river valley in cottony mists.
—Bruce Barcott, Mother Jones, May–June 2003
But for casual acquaintances, keep your response brief. Just say "I'm happy for him," and segue into another topic.
—Kitty Flynn, Cosmopolitan, December 2000
She quickly segued to the next topic.
The band smoothly segued from one song to the next.
In the movie, a shot of the outside of the house segued neatly to a shot of the family inside the house.
Noun
The evening news continued, a fast segue into a promo for that night's showcase program, an inquiry into the sources of the civic genius of Bonaparte …
—Ward Just, Forgetfulness, (2006) 2007
Making a smooth segue into foreign policy, he offered a nuanced assessment of Russia's acting President Vladimir Putin as "showing signs of pragmatism," but added, correctly, that "anyone who tells you they have Putin figured out is blowing smoke."
—James Carney, Time, 21 Feb. 2000
See More
Recent Examples on the WebCarrie Honaker, Southern Living, 13 Dec. 2023
The conversation then segued to the spices in front of us and how some made their way into Mexican kitchens.
—Michael Snyder, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Pat McGrath Says Yes at Vogue World: London The combination of shades creates swoon-worthy, multi-dimensional color that looks effortless, and is an ideal way to slowly segue to all-over silver if and when the time comes.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2023
And here’s a darker observation: A large percentage of U.S. workers older than 50 are being pushed prematurely out of longtime jobs — too early to segue into retirement but too late to regain their footing at full income.
—Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
Gold, meanwhile, is a former president of Blumhouse TV who segued to head of production when McCumber joined the company.
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Oct. 2023
Comer wore her smoky eye on the red carpet, but happily for the rest of us, the look is the perfect way to segue from the office to after-dark activities.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 7 Nov. 2023
Bad Bunny's Saturday Night Live Promo Pokes Fun at Viral Kendall Jenner Mosquito Video
Signaling the end of the skit, Walken segued into the audience's introduction of the stars of Saturday's show, including host Nate Bargatze.
—Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 29 Oct. 2023
The series will likely segue into the franchise’s next big screen offering, 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2023
Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 13 Dec. 2023
The conversation then segued to the spices in front of us and how some made their way into Mexican kitchens.
—Michael Snyder, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Pat McGrath Says Yes at Vogue World: London The combination of shades creates swoon-worthy, multi-dimensional color that looks effortless, and is an ideal way to slowly segue to all-over silver if and when the time comes.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2023
And here’s a darker observation: A large percentage of U.S. workers older than 50 are being pushed prematurely out of longtime jobs — too early to segue into retirement but too late to regain their footing at full income.
—Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
Before segueing to Atlantic, Scott was president of A&R at BuVision.
—Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 8 Nov. 2023
Bad Bunny's Saturday Night Live Promo Pokes Fun at Viral Kendall Jenner Mosquito Video
Signaling the end of the skit, Walken segued into the audience's introduction of the stars of Saturday's show, including host Nate Bargatze.
—Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 29 Oct. 2023
In the latter half of the decade, Wright segued into the music industry as the head of Liberty Records’ Minit division, whose roster included the O’Jays and Bobby Womack.
—Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 15 Sep. 2023
Roughly a year later, the director is in Toronto launching his timely drama that will now segue to San Sebastian and other European fests.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 15 Sep. 2023
Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 27 Nov. 2023
The leaps from aggressiveness to tenderness to mistrust to shame and back again occur abruptly, as Roberta and Danny segue from the hyperventilating encounter in the bar, to that fever dance, to the bed in Roberta’s room in her parents’ house.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
Instead, there’s plenty of handheld shakiness with hard cuts and missing segues.
—Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2023
Thank you — hope this helps provide a segue into your therapist in a half-hour.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Sep. 2023
In some ways, this might be a natural segue to creating the next generation of veterinarians.
—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 22 Oct. 2023
By the time Hélène and Mathieu cautiously reunite in her picturesque new environs, Krieps and Ulliel need little dialogue to play out the many complicated emotions of the last act: separation and calm, then sudden peril that segues into sensuality, and finally understanding.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023
But then the conversation segues into the movie’s true theme: Male fragility.
—TIME, 17 Oct. 2023
Phil Oh Photographed by Phil Oh A reusable plastic or leather shopper bag segues seamlessly from fashion show to food market.
—Irene Kim, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2023
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Imperative verb
Cookware can be used on your stovetop and in some cases, segue to your oven.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 13 Dec. 2023
The conversation then segued to the spices in front of us and how some made their way into Mexican kitchens.
—Michael Snyder, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Pat McGrath Says Yes at Vogue World: London The combination of shades creates swoon-worthy, multi-dimensional color that looks effortless, and is an ideal way to slowly segue to all-over silver if and when the time comes.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2023
And here’s a darker observation: A large percentage of U.S. workers older than 50 are being pushed prematurely out of longtime jobs — too early to segue into retirement but too late to regain their footing at full income.
—Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
Gold, meanwhile, is a former president of Blumhouse TV who segued to head of production when McCumber joined the company.
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Oct. 2023
Comer wore her smoky eye on the red carpet, but happily for the rest of us, the look is the perfect way to segue from the office to after-dark activities.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 7 Nov. 2023
Bad Bunny's Saturday Night Live Promo Pokes Fun at Viral Kendall Jenner Mosquito Video
Signaling the end of the skit, Walken segued into the audience's introduction of the stars of Saturday's show, including host Nate Bargatze.
—Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 29 Oct. 2023
The series will likely segue into the franchise’s next big screen offering, 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2023
Verb
Cookware can be used on your stovetop and in some cases, segue to your oven.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 13 Dec. 2023
The conversation then segued to the spices in front of us and how some made their way into Mexican kitchens.
—Michael Snyder, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Pat McGrath Says Yes at Vogue World: London The combination of shades creates swoon-worthy, multi-dimensional color that looks effortless, and is an ideal way to slowly segue to all-over silver if and when the time comes.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 20 Nov. 2023
And here’s a darker observation: A large percentage of U.S. workers older than 50 are being pushed prematurely out of longtime jobs — too early to segue into retirement but too late to regain their footing at full income.
—Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
Before segueing to Atlantic, Scott was president of A&R at BuVision.
—Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 8 Nov. 2023
Bad Bunny's Saturday Night Live Promo Pokes Fun at Viral Kendall Jenner Mosquito Video
Signaling the end of the skit, Walken segued into the audience's introduction of the stars of Saturday's show, including host Nate Bargatze.
—Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 29 Oct. 2023
In the latter half of the decade, Wright segued into the music industry as the head of Liberty Records’ Minit division, whose roster included the O’Jays and Bobby Womack.
—Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 15 Sep. 2023
Roughly a year later, the director is in Toronto launching his timely drama that will now segue to San Sebastian and other European fests.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 15 Sep. 2023
Noun
The stripes are reminiscent of a candy cane, perfect for winter, but the vibrant pink and red make for an easy segue to spring and summer.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 27 Nov. 2023
The leaps from aggressiveness to tenderness to mistrust to shame and back again occur abruptly, as Roberta and Danny segue from the hyperventilating encounter in the bar, to that fever dance, to the bed in Roberta’s room in her parents’ house.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
Instead, there’s plenty of handheld shakiness with hard cuts and missing segues.
—Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2023
Thank you — hope this helps provide a segue into your therapist in a half-hour.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Sep. 2023
In some ways, this might be a natural segue to creating the next generation of veterinarians.
—Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 22 Oct. 2023
By the time Hélène and Mathieu cautiously reunite in her picturesque new environs, Krieps and Ulliel need little dialogue to play out the many complicated emotions of the last act: separation and calm, then sudden peril that segues into sensuality, and finally understanding.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023
But then the conversation segues into the movie’s true theme: Male fragility.
—TIME, 17 Oct. 2023
Phil Oh Photographed by Phil Oh A reusable plastic or leather shopper bag segues seamlessly from fashion show to food market.
—Irene Kim, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'segue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near segue
Cite this Entry
“Segue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/segue. Accessed 9 Jan. 2024.
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