poem

noun

po·​em ˈpō-əm 

-im, 

ˈpōm

also ˈpȯ(-)im, 

ˈpō-ˌem 

1

: a composition in verse

2

: something suggesting a poem (as in expressiveness, lyricism, or formal grace)

The house we stayed in … was itself a poem.

—H. J. Laski

Synonyms of poem

• verse
• lyric
• song
• sonnet
• poetry

Examples of poem in a Sentence

He wrote a poem about his parents.

your assignment is to write two poems about springtime

Recent Examples on the Web

Working in both color and in black and white, his subjects — sometimes family, sometimes random people, sometimes buildings or streets with nobody in sight — can have the warmth and intensity of his poems. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026

So that was a follow-up poem to the title poem of your first book of poetry, which is also about thinking about your past in terms of numbers. — Terry Gross, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026

For Fried is, as his poems prove, a writer attuned to the shape of thought and the sound of a word. — Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Each Saturday this column will feature a poem with the byline and recorded for audio by the author. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French poeme, from Latin poema, from Greek poiēma, from poiein

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing poem

• found poem
• heroic poem
• prose poem
• symphonic poem
• tone poem

Rhymes for poem

• jeroboam
• rehoboam

Kids Definition

poem

noun

po·​em ˈpō-əm  -im 

ˈpōm

also ˈpō-ˌem

: a composition in verse