rhyme

1 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly rime
1
a(1)
: rhyming verse
(2)
: poetry
b
: a composition in verse that rhymes
2
a
: correspondence in terminal sounds of units of composition or utterance (such as two or more words or lines of verse)
b
: one of two or more words thus corresponding in sound
c
: correspondence of other than terminal word sounds: such as
(1)
3
rhymeless adjective

rhyme

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly rime
rhymed also rimed; rhyming also riming

transitive verb

1
: to relate or praise in rhyming verse
2
a
: to put into rhyme
b
: to compose (verse) in rhyme
c
: to cause to rhyme : use as rhyme

intransitive verb

1
: to make rhymes
also : to compose rhyming verse
2
of a word or verse : to end in syllables that are rhymes
3
: to be in accord : harmonize
rhymer noun

Examples of rhyme in a Sentence

Noun She used “moon” as a rhyme for “June.” He couldn't think of a rhyme for “orange.” They're learning about meter and rhyme. Verb Please find the two lines that rhyme. She rhymed “moon” with “June.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Why were rhymes about crimes allowed in one case and denied in the other? Bill Hochberg, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Florida rapper 454 delivered evocative rhymes in an innocent singsong, but at speeds that spun the brain. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2024 My album is for all the little kids who want to be rappers, who can’t sing but want to say things, and through rhyme is an alternative. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 23 Feb. 2024 Rosenthal’s translation draws out these poems’ shades of melancholy and whimsy, along with the slant and irregular rhymes that contribute to their uncanny humor. The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 But the Dune: Part Two star disagreed because his middle name did not add to the rhyme. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 2 Feb. 2024 Her rhymes are laced with an addictive, unapologetic confidence. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2024 The recipes below are all believed to bring good fortune because their ingredients either resemble a symbol of wealth or rhyme with a lucky word. Erchen Chang, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2024 Dillinger’s rhymes are catchy throughout, but Dub Organizer aka Cloak and Dagger is all about that bass. Patricia Meschino, Rolling Stone, 4 Feb. 2024
Verb
So to review: Inside the stoic is a comedian, and inside the comedian is a diligent rap student with a rhyming dictionary and a calculator. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 The lanky rapper who began his career rhyming before pivoting back-and-forth between rock, pop and every combination in-between appears to be ready to fully take a country detour. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 Feb. 2024 Five Funny Bunnies View On Amazon $7 View On Target $7 This sweet board book features a rhyming read-aloud text that takes your little one on an adventure with what else? Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024 Voilà, our cruel world is improved by the materialization of Ice Spice, a 24-year-old from the Bronx who raps with vivid nonchalance, delivering a rhyming interior monologue that everyone can suddenly hear, communicating broadly but with telepathic intimacy. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024 Rhyming Story About Lunar New Year in Vietnam Written by Tam Bui, illustrated by Mai Ngo This beautifully illustrated, rhyming picture book tells the story of a child from the city celebrating Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, with her family in a northern Vietnamese village. Marsha Takeda-Morrison, Parents, 6 Feb. 2024 There could have been a more straightforward monologue here, but instead, she’s taken a bigger, braver leap by setting her story entirely in rhyming verse. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2024 The audio vignettes were heard four times each weekday morning on various stations across the U.S., and Osgood would sometimes analyze a news event, and, in other moments, provide rhyming commentary on the latest headlines. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 23 Jan. 2024 After all these years, your name still lights a flame in the poetical mind — to set those two syllables to rhyme, to music, to anything! Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 10 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rhyme.' 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

Noun

Middle English rime, from Anglo-French

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rhyme was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near rhyme

Cite this Entry

“Rhyme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhyme. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rhyme

1 of 2 noun
variants also rime
ˈrīm
1
a
: close similarity in the final sounds of two or more words or lines of verse
b
: one of two or more words having this similarity in sound
2
a
: rhyming verse
b
: a composition in verse that rhymes

rhyme

2 of 2 verb
variants also rime
rhymed also rimed; rhyming also riming
1
a
: to make rhymes : put into rhyme
b
: to compose rhyming verse
2
: to end in syllables that rhyme
3
: to cause to rhyme : use as rhyme
rhymed "moon" with "June"
rhymer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on rhyme

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