as in poetry
verse that does not rhyme and does not have a regular rhythm
The author's free verse has a unique rhythmic intensity.
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Recent Examples of free verse
Told in a first-person, free verse style, her struggle to overcome a family tragedy, an ecological catastrophe, and the Great Depression is harrowing yet hopeful.
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Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Nevada: National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Since 1985, ranchers, bull riders, and wranglers with a penchant for rhyming couplets and free verse have clambered to Elko, Nevada, for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
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Ellen Carpenter,
AFAR Media,
15 Jan. 2026
Though most of Milosz’s poetry was written in free verse, no effort has been made to force the English versions into the complicated poetic forms the poet sometimes preferred — that would have required a different sense of obligation.
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William Logan,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
The award-winning work, told through a mix of free verse and haiku, offers a poignant and nuanced look at a young person growing up Black in the nineteen-sixties and seventies, finding herself through the art of writing.
—
The New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for free verse
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Nevada: National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Since 1985, ranchers, bull riders, and wranglers with a penchant for rhyming couplets and free verse have clambered to Elko, Nevada, for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
—
Ellen Carpenter,
AFAR Media,
15 Jan. 2026
Though most of Milosz’s poetry was written in free verse, no effort has been made to force the English versions into the complicated poetic forms the poet sometimes preferred — that would have required a different sense of obligation.
—
William Logan,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
The award-winning work, told through a mix of free verse and haiku, offers a poignant and nuanced look at a young person growing up Black in the nineteen-sixties and seventies, finding herself through the art of writing.
—
The New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for free verse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free verse
Noun
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Her new album, Fata Morgana, uses an array of cascading rhythms, impish hooks, and fierce poetry to interrogate her place in a corrupt American society.
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Avelar is a part of an extracurricular program run by America SCORES Bay Area, a nonprofit that allows students to learn and play the sport of soccer, as well as honing some of their academic skills through poetry.
Noun
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Classics Studies teachers, whose work typically focuses on the history and culture of the ancient Mediterranean basin, are hoping that many moviegoers who see the film will then be inspired to pick up a copy of the original poem or perhaps even sign up for a class.
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In 2024, the icon wrote a poem for the CD version of Swift’s eleventh studio album The Tortured Poets Department.
Noun
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According to viewers, a woman appearing to be Alannah uses the N-word while lip-syncing lyrics.
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The follow-up to 2022’s Gemini Rights was written, performed, and produced by Lacy, who focuses the new album on transparency and personal lyrics.
Noun
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The piece has the pattern of blank verse.
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But Kantor wrote it in blank verse — little help for the script.
Noun
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The rhyme references a viral chant that has taken the internet by storm during the NBA Finals in which the Knicks are currently up 3-1 against the San Antonio Spurs.
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It's got a lot going on, but there's a reason to every rhyme.
Noun
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So to reel it in, Pillsbury and his band threw on a sitar — which made the cut on a few songs — and a flute solo.
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Listen to the Obama playlists Barack Obama is known for releasing his songs of the summer playlist each year, and his end-of-year favorites in books, movies and music.
Cite this Entry
“Free verse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free%20verse. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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