lilt

1 of 2

noun

1
: a spirited and usually cheerful song or tune
2
: a rhythmical swing, flow, or cadence
3
: a springy buoyant movement

lilt

2 of 2

verb

lilted; lilting; lilts

transitive verb

: to sing or play in a lively cheerful manner

intransitive verb

1
: to sing or speak rhythmically and with fluctuating pitch
2
: to move in a lively springy manner

Examples of lilt in a Sentence

Noun There was a charming lilt to her voice. a tune with a lilt
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
There’s something singularly sweet in the chords, in the lilt of it all, in the way that the chorus creates an elemental harmonic rush of heart-and-soul satisfaction. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Jan. 2024 The actor captures Marley’s messianic lilt, his playful way of keeping his real agenda private. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 8 Feb. 2024 In a world seemingly populated by all the varieties of lilts and brogues the British Isles has to offer, the flat, near-toneless Midwestern newscaster voice of Seanchan so'jhin Alwhin (Jessica Boone) instructing the townspeople to kneel and pledge actually hit pretty hard. Andrew Cunningham & Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, 1 Sep. 2023 With her Jamaican lilt and captivating expressions, Issac delivers an incredible performance. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 Oct. 2023 For this number, Rodrigo sat down with an acoustic guitar where her airy lilt was flanked by the hymnal-tinged sound of the three-person choir. Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 11 Dec. 2023 Across 30 studio albums since 1970, Buffett fueled his scenic songs’ tropical, country-ish lilt with a smart, conversational brand of daylight-noir storytelling. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 3 Nov. 2023 Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal tackle a tricky balancing act in their new feature, celebrating the intoxicating lilt of the bossa nova and also investigating the devastating brutality of state terrorism. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Sep. 2023 The familiar lilt in the voices of her favorite Afro-Caribbean sidewalk vendors rings like music in her ears. Tyrone Beason, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
Verb
Rides spun in time to lilting carnival music by the Los Angeles composer Daniel Wohl. Lauren Herstik Chantal Anderson, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2023 Their small sounds and snuffles were barely audible above the lilting bleeps of incubators in the neonatal ward. Hajar Harb, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023 Sauvé is extremely soft-spoken, her slight Quebecois accent lilting over the crowd’s hush. Cameron Cook, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2023 Bagpipes and lilting burrs form a pleasant music as young men and women fumble their way through courtship, every overture made thrilling and a little dangerous by the God-fearing propriety of the remote island society that surrounds them. Zachary Barnes, WSJ, 12 Oct. 2023 And in the score, Joplin pushed himself past ragtime into music that lilts, soars and swings with tenderness and vivacity, somewhat in the grand operetta style of Gilbert and Sullivan (if without the patter). Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 27 July 2023 There are poems set to lilting strains that turn into themes, and because the movie’s composer is mood master Gabriel Yared, the melodies linger nicely without feeling overplayed. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2023 After a few more days, the ballroom would begin to feel a bit lighter as private classes started back up and a stream of melodies lilted in the background. Corina Knoll Ben Laffin Mark Abramson, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2023 Elegant and complex with a unique Cabernet Franc lilt that provide the mysterious Angel in the Bottle of Croix de Labrie. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 22 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lilt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English lulten to sound an alarm

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1722, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of lilt was circa 1680

Dictionary Entries Near lilt

Cite this Entry

“Lilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lilt. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lilt

1 of 2 verb
: to sing or play in a lively cheerful manner
liltingly
ˈlil-tiŋ-lē
adverb

lilt

2 of 2 noun
: a lively and cheerful sound or expression
a tune with a lilt
a lilt in her voice

More from Merriam-Webster on lilt

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