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
High: Freddie Gibbs with El Michels Affair Freddie Gibbs spitting rhymes at the helm of a live band, El Michels Affair, was bound to be the best performance of the day. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 21 Oct. 2024 Sharpen your pencils and whip out those rhymes — Austin is seeking a poet laureate. Asher Price, Axios, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
And the poem kind of led you through with very cryptic kind of rhyming stuff, just like Forrest Fenn. Outside Online, 19 Sep. 2024 Malice is mostly reflective, referencing John 10:10 on one verse and rhyming about his winding journey from the streets to the pulpit. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rhyme 

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 31 Oct. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!