blank verse

noun

: unrhymed verse
specifically : unrhymed iambic pentameter verse

Examples of blank verse in a Sentence

the blank verse of Shakespeare and Milton
Recent Examples on the Web The first assignment was to write a poem in blank verse. Elizabeth Lund, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Sep. 2024 Through a stylish mix of prose, blank verse and illustrations, Last on His Feet captures these tensions with unsparing poignancy. Brandon Tensley, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2023 Murder and mayhem without the blank verse. Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2022 The blank verse brings vim to the proceedings, but there’s nothing in Trump, real or imagined, that could match Charles’ hubristic, bone-crushing personal tragedy. Demetrios Matheou, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2022 Taking precedence over encomiums and recitations, costumes and nostalgia is the book itself, 710 pages of inner monologue and dialogue, stream of consciousness, blank verse, Greek classics and the venues and byways of Dublin, 1904. Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2022 The book received plenty of praise, but many critics missed the point, describing Betts’s work as raw and gritty, when the title poem is entirely in blank verse — unrhymed iambic pentameter. Adam Bradley, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2021 This month, the recommendations include a long novel told in blank verse, Shakespeare plays turned into prose, a rollicking science fiction caper, and a bold memoir. Rochelle M. O’Gorman, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2020 Father Cardenal began writing poetry as a young man, tracing the tormented history of Nicaragua and Latin America as epics in blank verse. Elias E. Lopez, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Mar. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blank verse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blank verse was in 1588

Dictionary Entries Near blank verse

Cite this Entry

“Blank verse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blank%20verse. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

blank verse

noun
: unrhymed verse
especially : unrhymed iambic pentameter verse

More from Merriam-Webster on blank verse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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