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.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of free verse
Rhyming poems, like Reed’s, have fallen out of style this century in favor of free verse.
—
Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2024
The book, first published in 1927, is organized according to the calendar, with a passage of free verse that evokes the qualities and pleasures of each month, a small monochrome drawing nearby, and, on the facing page, a full-color illustration of the sort to draw fascinated attention.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 16 Nov. 2023
Taking its title from a Toni Morrison quote, Water Made Us employs free verse, voice memos from family and friends, and sterling arrangements crafted with L.A. producer McClenney to examine her past relationships.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 25 Sep. 2023
His sentences come out as free verse, a sort of Rust Belt beat poetry.
—Popular Mechanics, 14 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for free verse
Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2024
The book, first published in 1927, is organized according to the calendar, with a passage of free verse that evokes the qualities and pleasures of each month, a small monochrome drawing nearby, and, on the facing page, a full-color illustration of the sort to draw fascinated attention.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 16 Nov. 2023
Taking its title from a Toni Morrison quote, Water Made Us employs free verse, voice memos from family and friends, and sterling arrangements crafted with L.A. producer McClenney to examine her past relationships.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 25 Sep. 2023
His sentences come out as free verse, a sort of Rust Belt beat poetry.
—Popular Mechanics, 14 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for free verse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free verse
Noun
-
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ right fielder was poetry on the diamond, a five-tool player who helped his team to two World Series championships but amazingly was a bit underrated at the time.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
-
This deepening also has an index in the formal features of his poetry—the ambiguity of his pronouns, the firm particularity of his register of images—which teeters between the mundane and the epiphanic, and renders this imbalance itself into view.—
Elaine L. Wang
September 11,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Hornung has always loved reading poetry and writing poems.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
-
One of the earliest poetic works that collectively shaped us is the Shahnameh, an epic poem by the Persian poet Ferdowsi.—
Fatemeh Jamalpour,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In between, the camera flashed to the audience and caught Sarah Paulson, Colin Farrell, Jessica Williams, and Michael Urie dancing and singing along to the lyrics.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The title track opens the affair by lurching and creeping forward for ten minutes with odd, off-putting lyrics.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But Kantor wrote it in blank verse — little help for the script.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Onto the page spilled more than ten thousand lines of the richest and most resourceful blank verse in the English language, arranged into ten books in 1667, then rearranged into twelve in 1674.—
Merve Emre,
The New Yorker,
16 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
There exist phenomenon that defy explanation, trends unfolding with no rhyme, no reason.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
7 Sep. 2025
-
But that’s just one part of Earl’s artistic arsenal; he’s shown an ability to get rhymes off on a variety of production.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
At the end of their week, campers get a chance to perform their band’s songs live with the stars.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Why not gather all their best songs to date, tape ‘em in front of an excited fanbase, and give em another shot?—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Free verse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free%20verse. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share