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
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
Here are some of Robert Frost’s insights into how poetry works its magic:
Writing free verse is like playing tennis without a net.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
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
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
See All Example Sentences for free verse
The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024
Here are some of Robert Frost’s insights into how poetry works its magic:
Writing free verse is like playing tennis without a net.
—Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
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
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
See All Example Sentences for free verse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free verse
Noun
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There is Persian mythology and mysticism in the film, and ruins in Persian poetry are very significant places.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
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Urrea is a Guggenheim Fellow who has authored 19 books, many of which have won awards for poetry, fiction and essays, the release said.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The literary début of the Auto-Beatnik, a machine that could compose five thousand poems in an hour or so, caught the attention of Time, Life, and the Times.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Puskin was sent into exile by Tsar Alexander I after his poem Ode to Liberty was found among the possessions of the rebels of the Decemberist uprising.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Noun
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The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper is known for his introspective lyrics that tackle political and social themes.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
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Rob turtled inside the plastic covering while viewers heard a soundtrack of tritely soulful country lyrics about being a house of cards that’s about to break.—
Anna Peele,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The piece has the pattern of blank verse.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
27 Oct. 2025
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But Kantor wrote it in blank verse — little help for the script.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Apologies for the subtle rhyme, but here's your reminder to not take things too seriously.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Later, a long close-up of a shattered glass of milk works neither as visual rhyme with the snowy setting nor dramatic insight.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Ovenbird Warblers such as the ovenbird are often difficult to spot, so learning their widely varied songs is essential to identification.—
Christopher Gangemi,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
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She is scheduled to perform new songs from her 12th studio album and some of her classic anthems.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Free verse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free%20verse. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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