: a fixed verse form of Italian origin consisting of 14 lines that are typically 5-foot iambics rhyming according to a prescribed scheme
also
: a poem in this pattern
Examples of sonnet in a Sentence
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The character is speaking sonnets and doing ‘Ozymandias’ as well.
—
Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2026
Ever wanted to dive into Shakespeare's sonnets or explore cinema analysis?
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 11 Jan. 2026
Some have suggested that the Bard had romantic liaisons with men, in part implied by sonnets that are charged with homoerotic elements.
—Nathan Smith, Time, 26 Nov. 2025
By James Folta | July 17, 2025 Is Brad Lander’s original Shakespeare in the Park sonnet any good?
—Eve Dunbar, lithub.com, 13 Nov. 2025
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Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 5 Feb. 2026
Ever wanted to dive into Shakespeare's sonnets or explore cinema analysis?
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 11 Jan. 2026
Some have suggested that the Bard had romantic liaisons with men, in part implied by sonnets that are charged with homoerotic elements.
—Nathan Smith, Time, 26 Nov. 2025
By James Folta | July 17, 2025 Is Brad Lander’s original Shakespeare in the Park sonnet any good?
—Eve Dunbar, lithub.com, 13 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sonnet
Cite this Entry
“Sonnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sonnet. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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sonnet
noun
son·net
ˈsän-ət 
: a poem of 14 lines usually rhyming by a fixed scheme
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