From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcommentarycom‧men‧ta‧ry /ˈkɒməntəri $ ˈkɑːmənteri/ ●●○ AWL noun (plural commentaries) [countable, uncountable] 1 SAYa spoken description of an event, given while the event is happening, especially on the television or radio Commentary is by Tom Ferris.commentary on We’ll be bringing you full commentary on the game between Notts and Brescia.running commentary (=a continuous description of something)2 TCNsomething such as a book or an article that explains or discusses a book, poem, idea etc political commentary3 → be a sad/tragic/devastating etc commentary on somethingCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + commentary a radio/television commentaryThe royal wedding will be accompanied by a live television commentary.a running commentary (=continuous commentary while an event is happening)The coach driver gave us a running commentary on where we were going.a live commentary (=given at the time the event is happening)He got into trouble for a remark he made during a live commentary of a football match.an audio commentary (=a recorded commentary that you listen to)The DVD extras include an audio commentary by the film director.verbsgive a commentaryHis job is to give a non-stop commentary on each moment in the game.provide a commentaryThe helicopter was providing a running commentary to the police control room.keep up a commentary (=give one continuously)Attenborough kept up a running commentary on the animals' movements.listen to a commentaryI was listening to the football commentary on the radio.nounsa commentary box (=a small room where the commentators on a sports game sit)He was in the commentary box, microphone in hand.
Examples from the Corpus
commentary• Kustow was talking, his deep voice providing a commentary on the proceedings.• This structure of absence and intrusion corresponds to de Man's blend of quotation, paraphrase and commentary in Allegories of Reading.• Irving set up lots of avenues for employee commentary and recommendations on how the change was going.• Now let's go over to our London studio for commentary on the wrestling.• There are 3 great sets of commentaries on Aristotle: the neo-Aristotelian, the neo-Platonic and the Byzantine.• Garfield does political commentary on National Public Radio.• Between commercials, they squeezed in the quick commentary and interviews many viewers had already heard elsewhere.• Sarah was looking out the window and giving us a running commentary on what was happening in the street.• Schuler will do the World Series commentary.• I could hear the commentary saying he wasn't going to stop.• The changing and temporal character of all existing things is prominent in the commentary although it stands in opposition to Zeus.• Joe Garagiola will provide the commentary tonight on Channel 7.• The latter understanding Is preferred in this commentary.running commentary• It becomes a running commentary from navigator to driver.• I sat behind a guy who gave a running commentary during the whole movie.• Attending is simply describing what the child is doing, rather like a running commentary on the activity.• This man provided a running commentary on the events on the screen, which were otherwise a fabulous mystery.• Don't keep up a running commentary.• Hearing voices that keep up a running commentary in the head.• A woman behind us kept up a running commentary on what was happening in the movie.• Photos of Jack were shown, each thrown up on a large screen with a running commentary.• His running commentary was oft-repeated, I guess. 