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assonance

noun
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as·​so·​nance | \ ˈa-sə-nən(t)s How to pronounce assonance (audio) \

Definition of assonance

1a : relatively close juxtaposition of similar sounds especially of vowels (as in "rise high in the bright sky")
b : repetition of vowels without repetition of consonants (as in stony and holy) used as an alternative to rhyme in verse
2 : resemblance of sound in words or syllables
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Other Words from assonance

assonant \ ˈa-​sə-​nənt How to pronounce assonance (audio) \ adjective or noun
assonantal \ ˌa-​sə-​ˈnan-​tᵊl How to pronounce assonance (audio) \ adjective

Examples of assonance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The face-off between Beowulf and Unferth plays out like a rap battle, with end-rhymes, slant rhymes, and over-the-top assonance springing the words off the page. — Irina Dumitrescu, The New York Review of Books, "Dudes Without Heirs," 17 Nov. 2020 The fairy even hovers over Harbart’s suicide, and a similar lighter touch informs the prose, enlivened by assonance and alliteration. — John Domini, chicagotribune.com, "‘Harbat’: Speaking to the dead, the living — and now Americans, too," 7 Aug. 2019 The fairy even hovers over Harbart’s suicide, and a similar lighter touch informs the prose, enlivened by assonance and alliteration. — John Domini, chicagotribune.com, "‘Harbat’: Speaking to the dead, the living — and now Americans, too," 7 Aug. 2019 The fairy even hovers over Harbart’s suicide, and a similar lighter touch informs the prose, enlivened by assonance and alliteration. — John Domini, chicagotribune.com, "‘Harbat’: Speaking to the dead, the living — and now Americans, too," 7 Aug. 2019 The fairy even hovers over Harbart’s suicide, and a similar lighter touch informs the prose, enlivened by assonance and alliteration. — John Domini, chicagotribune.com, "‘Harbat’: Speaking to the dead, the living — and now Americans, too," 7 Aug. 2019 The fairy even hovers over Harbart’s suicide, and a similar lighter touch informs the prose, enlivened by assonance and alliteration. — John Domini, chicagotribune.com, "‘Harbat’: Speaking to the dead, the living — and now Americans, too," 7 Aug. 2019 The fairy even hovers over Harbart’s suicide, and a similar lighter touch informs the prose, enlivened by assonance and alliteration. — John Domini, chicagotribune.com, "‘Harbat’: Speaking to the dead, the living — and now Americans, too," 7 Aug. 2019 The fairy even hovers over Harbart’s suicide, and a similar lighter touch informs the prose, enlivened by assonance and alliteration. — John Domini, chicagotribune.com, "‘Harbat’: Speaking to the dead, the living — and now Americans, too," 7 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'assonance.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of assonance

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 2

History and Etymology for assonance

French, from Latin assonare to answer with the same sound, from ad- + sonare to sound, from sonus sound — more at sound entry 1

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Time Traveler for assonance

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The first known use of assonance was in 1727

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Statistics for assonance

Last Updated

20 Nov 2020

Cite this Entry

“Assonance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assonance. Accessed 16 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for assonance

assonance

noun
How to pronounce assonance (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of assonance

technical : the use of words that have the same or very similar vowel sounds near one another (as in "summer fun" and "rise high in the bright sky")

See the full definition for assonance in the English Language Learners Dictionary

More from Merriam-Webster on assonance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about assonance

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