as in accent
the attractive quality of speech or music that rises and falls in a pleasing pattern
There was a charming lilt to her voice. a tune with a lilt
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Recent Examples of lilt
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2025
This region is vast and diverse, with as many variations on our signature lilt as there are preparations of barbecue.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2025
Raquel Willis, Time, 19 June 2025
Her typical highly inflected voice with her signature lilt that ended every sentence on an up note was gone.
—Patricia Steckler, Baltimore Sun, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lilt
Noun
Platt has assembled key creatives from his own Oscar-winning La La Land including songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who have provided some lively and lilting new tunes.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2025
This region is vast and diverse, with as many variations on our signature lilt as there are preparations of barbecue.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
There is something so soothing and encouraging about the old-school campy lilt to her voice.
—Raquel Willis, Time, 19 June 2025
Her typical highly inflected voice with her signature lilt that ended every sentence on an up note was gone.
—Patricia Steckler, Baltimore Sun, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lilt
Noun
-
Your smartphone's voice assistant struggles to understand your accent but works perfectly for others.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Again and again, the band falls (petulantly, peevishly, with English accents and English swear words) into the gap between its bombastic self-image and the facts on the ground, the dwindling ticket sales and tiny sandwiches and spontaneously combusting drummers.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The group’s members respond in kind, crooning the song’s longing lyrics in Korean at Minogue as the studio audience lose it and their other four bandmates, and J Balvin, look on with big smiles from chairs just offstage.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
2 Sep. 2025
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On today’s episode: John Legend croons; CPI inflation soothes; Same job as mom?—
Darian Woods,
NPR,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Decide on a cadence (weekly, biweekly, or monthly), and stick with it.—
William Arruda,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Panella, who’s from Chicago, has a deep love of hip-hop and rap that the group often references for audio production and cadence.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The track begins with Winter’s distinct vocals warbling and wobbling over a tender percussion groove.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
8 July 2025
-
The famous John Williams fanfare that blasted Star Wars onto our screens had appreciably less impact than even a standard screen would now offer, let alone IMAX and Dolby Cinema premium offerings while at some parts of the film, the sound warbled a little, before returning to normal.—
Benny Har-Even,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
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That unit didn’t have time to find a rhythm as Odegaard came off injured after 18 minutes, but like against Leeds United, Ethan Nwaneri was the player to fill the void.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Lastly, Crawford's jab–to the body and stomach–were a rhythm disruptor for Canelo through the first half of the fight.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Why would sharp-as-nails med school grads opt toward a presumably dead-end occupational route?—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
-
Thompson was pretty brave for weaving his fingers with Meg's, considering how long and sharp her stiletto manicure is.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
17 July 2025
Verb
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The Bitter Mai Tai is a full-fledged neo classic, first bright with lime and rum, then deep with almond, and then—where a standard Mai Tai would fall away with a lingering malic zing—the Bitter Mai Tai rises in a bold third act, humming with bitterness and the banana-funk of the rum.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
13 Sep. 2025
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Just a 10-minute stroll from the city center, the elevation affords something akin to a retreat; Bolaño feels spirited away from the noisy streets, surrounded instead by humming cicadas and chirping birds.—
Keith Flanagan,
Architectural Digest,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The blast furnace of volcanoes has fallen silent, replaced by birdsong trilling from the branches and echoing through a garden of exotic stone.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Expect to marvel at saddles blanketed in blueberries and multi-hued wildflowers, marmots trilling their warnings, ibex perched on rocky spines, and neon critters that wiggle and hop underfoot.—
Wendy Altschuler,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lilt. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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