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

Backed by an eerie beat, the track revisits their promiscuous, party lifestyle with hedonistic lyricism. —Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025

In the Blue Light centers the Black jazz musicians that set the foundation for Kelela’s own lyricism and music. —Elise Brisco, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2025

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of first studio effort, this performance marks a cultural milestone that blends the raw lyricism of Nas with the grandeur of classical instrumentation—offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans of both genres. —Okla Jones, Essence, 8 Apr. 2025

Big Sean) stands out, with Smith matching Sean's witty lyricism. —Delano Massey, Axios, 28 Mar. 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