rhyme

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈrīm 

variants or less commonly rime

1

a

: correspondence in terminal sounds of units of composition or utterance (such as two or more words or lines of verse)

b

: one of two or more words thus corresponding in sound

c

: correspondence of other than terminal word sounds: such as

(1)

: alliteration

(2)

: internal rhyme

2

a(1)

: rhyming verse

(2)

: poetry

b

: a composition in verse that rhymes

3

: rhythm, measure

rhymeless adjective

rhyme

2 of 3

verb

variants or less commonly rime

rhymed also rimed; rhyming also riming

intransitive verb

1

of a word or verse : to end in syllables that are rhymes

2

: to make rhymes

also : to compose rhyming verse

3

: to be in accord : harmonize

transitive verb

1

: to relate or praise in rhyming verse

2

a

: to put into rhyme

b

: to compose (verse) in rhyme

c

: to cause to rhyme : use as rhyme

rhymer noun

rhymer

3 of 3

noun (2)

rhym·​er

variants or rimer

ˈrīmə(r)

plural -s

: one that makes rhymes : versifier

specifically : a mediocre poet

Synonyms of rhyme

Verb

• correspond
• coincide
• conform
• fit
• agree

Examples of rhyme in a Sentence

Noun (1)

She used “moon” as a rhyme for “June.”

He couldn't think of a rhyme for “orange.”

They're learning about meter and rhyme.

Verb

Please find the two lines that rhyme.

She rhymed “moon” with “June.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Growing up in Queens as hip-hop came of age, Rozell Manely Brown desired nothing more than a drum machine to back up his rhyme. — Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

The first half was a scrappy, testy affair with very little rhythm or rhyme from both teams. — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 15 July 2026

Verb

The score of Time and Water incorporates rímur, epic rhyming poems that have been transmitted by Icelanders through the ages. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 July 2026

America’s new Gilded Age rhymes with its last in so many ways, perhaps none more so than its oligarchs and billionaires, with the role of steel being played today by artificial intelligence. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English rime, from Anglo-French

Noun (2)

rhymer alteration (influenced by rhyme entry 1) of rimer; rimer alteration (influenced by -er) of Middle English rymor, from Middle French rimeur, from Old French, from rime rhyme + -eur -or

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing rhyme

• beginning rhyme
• eye rhyme
• head rhyme
• initial rhyme
• internal rhyme
• nursery rhyme
• rhyme or reason
• rhyme royal
• rhyme scheme
• sight rhyme
• vowel rhyme

Rhymes for rhyme

• chime
• chyme
• climb
• clime
• crime
• dime
• grime
• lime
• lyme
• mime
• prime
• slime

Kids Definition

rhyme

1 of 2 noun

variants also rime

ˈrīm

1

a

: close similarity in the final sounds of two or more words or lines of verse

b

: one of two or more words having this similarity in sound

2

a

: rhyming verse

b

: a composition in verse that rhymes

rhyme

2 of 2 verb

variants also rime

rhymed also rimed; rhyming also riming

1

a

: to make rhymes : put into rhyme

b

: to compose rhyming verse

2

: to end in syllables that rhyme

3

: to cause to rhyme : use as rhyme

rhymed "moon" with "June"

rhymer noun