lyrics

noun

plural of lyric
1
as in poems
a composition using rhythm and often rhyme to create a lyrical effect would you care to read your short lyric aloud?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in songs
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment the guitarist sang a gentle lyric while playing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 lyrics Writer-director Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain, NYFF62), who also wrote the show’s music and lyrics, keeps things expertly balanced on a knife’s edge between musical theater satire and cathartic character study. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026 On Tuesday, Netflix released a video of Norwood performing the reboot’s theme song, which features an original beat and lyrics from previous versions sung by Phoebe Snow, Aretha Franklin, Boyz II Men, and Terrence Forsythe. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 11 Aug. 2026 On Tuesday, Netflix released a video of Norwood performing the reboot’s theme, which features an original beat and lyrics from previous versions sung by Phoebe Snow, Aretha Franklin, Boyz II Men, and Terrence Forsythe. — Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026 The resulting sound combines disco and psychedelic funk with Turkish melodies, rhythmic patterns and lyrics. — Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026 The six-time Tony Award-winning production features music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Ebb and Bob Ebb. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 Young artists like the members of the Chilean boy band Q_ARE are fusing these elements with Latin music styles, Spanish and English lyrics and Chilean slang to pioneer a uniquely Latino pop subgenre. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026 Known for her candid lyrics and conversational vocal tone, Bridgers crafts her music with acoustic guitar at its core and weaves in lush string arrangements and layers of electronic sounds. — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Aug. 2026 Considering the cross-generational appeal of Orzabal’s songs, being allowed a peek into the experiences that informed his lyrics and the creation of the music is a rare treat. — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lyrics
  1. poems
  2. songs
  3. ballads
  4. vocals
  5. hymns
Noun
  • Nearly fifty years later, Saxberger’s early burst of literary promise is long forgotten, as are the poems themselves.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Jodie Hollander’s poems have appeared in or are forthcoming in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, The Yale Review, The Harvard Review, Poetry and elsewhere.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of poems
Noun
  • The lessons of the civil rights movement, the language and songs of homelands, our stories, music and cuisines, have so much power.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The project is built around songs that have maintained relevance in the cultural mainstream for decades, pairing each with a different collaborator.
    — Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of songs
Noun
  • Their videos work as a modern take on the narcocorridos – ballads about the trafficking underworld that drug kingpins used to praise themselves and communicate with each other, said security expert Alexei Chévez.
    — Rey Rodríguez, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Much of Tulu literature and folklore has been preserved through oral tradition, especially epic ballads called paddanas.
    — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of ballads
Noun
  • The project offers more of those syrupy melodics, with Shimmy’s distinct, saxophone-like vocals guiding listeners through a romantic landscape.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Readily available stem separators automatically split a complete song into vocals, instruments, bass, and drums, commenters noted.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of vocals
Noun
  • Faithful gather to sing hymns and sip Bloody Marys, and a revolving cast of chaplains, including one who once served at the University of Texas chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, lead services.
    — Pam LeBlanc, Southern Living, 20 July 2026
  • One of six children, Tyler grew up idolizing Tina Turner and Janis Joplin and singing hymns in the Anglican church her parents attended.
    — Adela Suliman, NBC news, 9 July 2026
Definition of hymns

Browse Nearby Words

lyricists
lyrics
lyrist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lyrics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lyrics. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on lyrics

Nglish: Translation of lyrics for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All