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
Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2025
Carpenter is plainly a student of Parton’s, evoking her pinup styling (voluminous hair, big red lips), her persona (sharp with a knowing wink), and her voice, which is rich and husky and accompanied by a country lilt.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The show starts calmly with the dapper musician Coalhouse Walker Jr. astride his piano bench, playing a gentle, lilting ragtime melody.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lilt
Noun
With little room to maneuver, Capuano sketched out an idea for factory-style doorways with a Parisian lilt.
—Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2025
Carpenter is plainly a student of Parton’s, evoking her pinup styling (voluminous hair, big red lips), her persona (sharp with a knowing wink), and her voice, which is rich and husky and accompanied by a country lilt.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
Carpenter is plainly a student of Parton’s, evoking her pinup styling (voluminous hair, big red lips), her persona (sharp with a knowing wink), and her voice, which is rich and husky and accompanied by a country lilt.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The show starts calmly with the dapper musician Coalhouse Walker Jr. astride his piano bench, playing a gentle, lilting ragtime melody.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lilt
Noun
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Traditional details like wooden ceiling beams, stone accents, and Mediterranean tilework give the space a sense of history and authenticity.—
Angela Tafoya,
Vogue,
9 Mar. 2026
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Breathable mesh accents keep your feet cool and dry all day, while the anti-microbial, anti-odor insole technology keeps everything extra fresh, even in sticky weather.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What’s more, he is seen and heard crooning more than his costar in the film Kelly Rowland, who was one third of the legendary girl group Destiny’s Child, and has had a successful solo career since.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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Richard Marx croons his way onto Billboard’s jazz charts for the first time in a career as a lead recording artist that dates back almost 40 years.—
Gary Trust,
Billboard,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But the series’ cadence and sequencing all point toward a larger mystery yet to be revealed.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
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The cadence was never consistent, and the announcements appeared to be haphazard.—
Jason Schreier,
Bloomberg,
4 Mar. 2026
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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Protect domestic rhythms to nurture your soul.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Washington went up briefly in the third quarter, powered by guard Avery Howell (18 points), but the Bruins found their rhythm again shortly after.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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At the rate business was humming along, ValenSil was on track to bolt on a third shift, add about eight to 15 more workers, and even purchase land for further expansion.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Passionate Mars enters your 6th house to highlight your work-life balance, urging steady action on the daily tasks that keep everything humming.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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During her performance, Bell trilled through possible name changes for actors.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Mar. 2026
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Is that panic, when the flute trills high?—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lilt. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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