free verse

noun

: verse whose meter is irregular in some respect or whose rhythm is not metrical

Examples of free verse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The award-winning work, told through a mix of free verse and haiku, offers a poignant and nuanced look at a young person growing up Black in the nineteen-sixties and seventies, finding herself through the art of writing. The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024 Here are some of Robert Frost’s insights into how poetry works its magic: Writing free verse is like playing tennis without a net. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 Taking its title from a Toni Morrison quote, Water Made Us employs free verse, voice memos from family and friends, and sterling arrangements crafted with L.A. producer McClenney to examine her past relationships. Ew Staff, EW.com, 25 Sep. 2023 Rhyming poems, like Reed’s, have fallen out of style this century in favor of free verse. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for free verse 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'free 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

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of free verse was in 1813

Dictionary Entries Near free verse

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

free verse

noun
: poetry that does not rhyme and does not have a regular rhythm

More from Merriam-Webster on free verse

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