lilt 1 of 2

Definition of liltnext
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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lilt

2 of 2

verb

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 lilt
Noun
The character's music has the religious iconography of Madonna mixed with the anthemic lilt of Taylor Swift earworms. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026 Pattinson leans into his awkward charm and English lilt, but allows something colder to seep in around the edges. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
The musical prose hums with different accents, most evidently with Milena’s quips in French and Enzo’s Levantine lilt. Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026 The album is a triumphant release that balances anger and grief and, at times, surprising joy, with Estrada’s bright, lilting soprano piercing through the veil of her pain. Cat Cardenas, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lilt
Noun
  • So when Billie and Issa get an actual offer for drinks with two firefighters who come to the house, Billie puts on a goofy British accent à la Issa and turns them down, choosing a quiet night at home with her friend instead.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The decor is heavily inspired by various forms of Mexican art, including La Huasteca embroidery, which focuses on bright floral and geometric patterns, as well as touches of gold accents inspired by Mayan culture.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In a profoundly prolific decade, Texas singer-songwriter Charley Crockett has refined a soulful country purview, crooning sweetly about love and perseverance in misfortune and yielding rave reviews and Grammy nominations.
    Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Iglesias’s rico suave, international-playboy crooning style found its perfect counterpart in Parton’s fiery vocals.
    Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The buildout of the Starlink megaconstellation has driven Falcon 9's launch cadence to record highs over the past few years.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The music and cadence of its passages and stanzas, even specific lines, come to me often, and I am often moved again.
    Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • With her rich rupture of a voice, Caven warbles and quavers 16 autobiographical songs in German and French, accompanied by the electronic Catalan band Molforts.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Her distinctive voice has been Widowspeak’s emblem since the band first emerged, warbled like Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval over CB radio.
    Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • The rhythm slows overall alcohol intake without forcing anyone to opt out of the social ritual around them.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Aug. 2026
  • His rhythm is clipped instead of musical, and Truman chooses to emphasize the words of his speech without emotion.
    USA Today, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In the fall, the workers trade in their pruning shears for knives sharp enough to skin a deer in minutes.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 28 Nov. 2025
  • Today there’s a rich universe of supplemental Pynchon material ranging from prose only an English PhD could unpack, to sharp analysis that makes the experience of reading Pynchon communal and fun.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, this column just keeps humming along day after day.
    Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The sounds of generators humming and chain saws whirling filled the neighborhood Thursday afternoon.
    Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Maine coons have become popular for their playful, sociable reputation, distinctive chirps and trills and their deep roots in New England history.
    Pat Mueller, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Zipf’s law states that a handful of words—or, in this case, chirps, whistles and trills—occur frequently, while most are rare.
    Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lilt. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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