lilting

adjective

lilt·​ing ˈlil-tiŋ How to pronounce lilting (audio)
1
: characterized by a rhythmical swing or cadence
a lilting stride
2
: cheerful, buoyant
a lilting comedy
liltingly adverb
liltingness noun

Examples of lilting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The track’s lilting melody leads the camera to a final shot of the piano playing without him — mirroring his notes as well as the intense feeling that comes with them. Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023 Mitalipov, who was born in Kazakhstan, is a small, dark-haired man with a lilting accent. Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2023 Faith’s lilting, summery vocals soothe her bone-deep observations, in a convergence of country, pop and Americana elements that’s uniquely her own. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 5 Sep. 2023 This adorable tale centered around Dia de los Muertos is accompanied by gorgeous graphics and lilting musical numbers the whole family will love. Christin Perry, Parents, 22 Aug. 2023 It was delivered in a largely acoustic format that suited Stewart’s lilting delivery well. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2023 Mering travels and croons throughout the six-minute clip, intoning the song’s lilting melodies as a lamp-like cardiac organ shines out from her chest. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2023 McAloon has called it his most personal record—and yet, unlike previous Prefab Sprout albums, McAloon’s soft, lilting voice is barely there. Hazlitt, 2 Aug. 2023 Anne Egerman stood upstage, flitting through Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics in her lilting soprano. Lila Battis, Travel + Leisure, 2 Aug. 2023 See More

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

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lilting was in 1800

Dictionary Entries Near lilting

Cite this Entry

“Lilting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lilting. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

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