lyricism
noun
lyr·i·cism
ˈlir-ə-ˌsi-zəm 
1
: the quality or state of being lyric : songfulness
The important part of his anthology 100 Modern Poems is the foreign verse, showing the French influence on our symbolism, the Celtic influence (Yeats, Dylan Thomas) on our lyricism.—
Peter Viereck
Peter Viereck2
a
: an intense personal quality expressive of feeling or emotion in an art (such as poetry or music)
… a muse that brought out the lyricism in innumerable writers.—Erich Segal
Erich Segal
b
: exuberance
[Thomas] Wolfe is the sort of author who inspires lyricism or invective, not judicious interpretation—Time
Time3
: the words of a song : lyrics
witty lyricism
Despite her spitfire raps and devil-may-care persona, Lee's lyricism is surprisingly sensitive, proving the rapper to be wise beyond her years.—Gladys Yeo
Gladys YeoRenaissance, Beyoncé's seventh album, was a seductive club banger with heady lyricism and deep tributes to the queer community.—CT Jones
CT JonesExamples of lyricism in a Sentence
the lyricism of his paintings
Recent Examples on the Web
The lyricism of Clifford Brown.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 12 Oct. 2025
Bands with songs about their members’ tumultuous interpersonal dynamics are not unique — see the long history of Fleetwood Mac — but what makes Hartzman’s approach to the topic so compelling, in both prose and song, is her vulnerability, her plainspoken lyricism, and keen observation.
—Karly Hartzman, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
While many fans are absolutely loving the new project — which has already cleared 3 million traditional sales in just a few days — others have criticized Showgirl for its simplistic, playful lyricism on certain tracks.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2025
His first full-length album, Illmatic, was an evolution in hip-hop lyricism, and his top-tier penmanship has powered a catalog of 17 solo albums.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lyricism
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Shelby Stewart, Essence, 12 Oct. 2025
Bands with songs about their members’ tumultuous interpersonal dynamics are not unique — see the long history of Fleetwood Mac — but what makes Hartzman’s approach to the topic so compelling, in both prose and song, is her vulnerability, her plainspoken lyricism, and keen observation.
—Karly Hartzman, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025
While many fans are absolutely loving the new project — which has already cleared 3 million traditional sales in just a few days — others have criticized Showgirl for its simplistic, playful lyricism on certain tracks.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2025
His first full-length album, Illmatic, was an evolution in hip-hop lyricism, and his top-tier penmanship has powered a catalog of 17 solo albums.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lyricism
Cite this Entry
“Lyricism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lyricism. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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