lyricism

noun

lyr·​i·​cism ˈlir-ə-ˌsi-zəm 

1

: the quality or state of being lyric : songfulness

The important part of his anthology 100 Modern Poems is the foreign verse, showing the French influence on our symbolism, the Celtic influence (Yeats, Dylan Thomas) on our lyricism.

—Peter Viereck

2

a

: an intense personal quality expressive of feeling or emotion in an art (such as poetry or music)

… a muse that brought out the lyricism in innumerable writers.

—Erich Segal

b

: exuberance

[Thomas] Wolfe is the sort of author who inspires lyricism or invective, not judicious interpretation

—Time

3

: the words of a song : lyrics

witty lyricism

Despite her spitfire raps and devil-may-care persona, Lee's lyricism is surprisingly sensitive, proving the rapper to be wise beyond her years.

—Gladys Yeo

Renaissance, Beyoncé's seventh album, was a seductive club banger with heady lyricism and deep tributes to the queer community.

—CT Jones

Examples of lyricism in a Sentence

the lyricism of his paintings

Recent Examples on the Web

Many point to Dylan’s songwriting and lyricism when explaining his appeal. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2025

Ahead of Pink Elephant, the Montreal collective known for its insistent politics and uplifting lyricism was scarce and guarded in its direct communications. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 13 May 2025

The fusion of Nas’ poetic lyricism with a full symphonic accompaniment has drawn praise from both audiences and collaborators. —Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Sufi stories rely on metaphor, rhythm, repetition, and lyricism, to penetrate not just the cerebral intellect but the intellect of the heart. —Sonya Rehman, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lyricism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism