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
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 16 July 2025
The news people are announcing on repeat a mantra suffused with an English lilt in their mouths, that the fires haven’t gorged themselves on the rainforests like this in over half a century.
—Literary Hub, 10 July 2025
Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
The Canadian jazz crooner once again brings her lush contralto and lilting piano to the cozy waterside locale on Tuesday night.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lilt
Noun
Stitt, 61, still talks about Mines with a lilt in his voice.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 16 July 2025
The news people are announcing on repeat a mantra suffused with an English lilt in their mouths, that the fires haven’t gorged themselves on the rainforests like this in over half a century.
—Literary Hub, 10 July 2025
Verb
Jackie sought the support of her father, Roberto, who immigrated to the United States from Guadalajara in his 20s, with the conception and creation of the lilting terracotta and rebar sculpture.
—Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
The Canadian jazz crooner once again brings her lush contralto and lilting piano to the cozy waterside locale on Tuesday night.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lilt
Noun
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Many rank-and-file enlistees were also recent immigrants, and patriot regiments hummed with a cacophony of different tongues, accents, and dialects throughout the war.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
These patch pockets contribute to the trouser-like style while also providing a flattering accent around shoppers’ waist.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Phillips croons about a mother’s bond with her child as Swinton walks off, her character freshly wrecked by a visit with her son in prison.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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The melody is crooning and desperate, and their harmonies intertwine in a way that is supposed to mirror their bodies.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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According to Huck, the launch cadence isn’t expected to slow down in 2026.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
4 Nov. 2025
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Its reusability, coupled with clean fuel, aligns with growing defense interest in sustainable, repeatable test platforms that can dramatically reduce costs and accelerate flight cadence.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 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
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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 night at Alani’s, though, Maia clocks out of professional mode to slip back into the rhythms of best friendship.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
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Meanwhile, the Ravens’ defense seems to be finding its rhythm after struggling for much of the season.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
-
Is there a way to keep your knives sharp longer? A.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, the penalty kill is also humming at a rate unseen in Denver for a long time.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
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Their offense is humming (averaging nearly 36 points per game), the offensive line continues to perform at a high level, allowing very few sacks, and the defense has been feeding off momentum with key plays in recent outings.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
My mother trilled vapidly over these mundane facts.—
Madhuri Vijay,
New Yorker,
16 Nov. 2025
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Sounds of loud trilling shouts after silent hunts, and singing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lilt. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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