poet

noun

ˈpō-ət How to pronounce poet (audio)
Definition of poetnext
as in minstrel
a person who writes poetry Emily Dickinson is famous as the poet who rarely left the house but often journeyed to the depths of the human heart

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 poet The evocative title is a quotation from the 13th century Persian poet Rumi. — Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 Homer, the enigmatic poet, still provokes and inspires us all. — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026 The Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra returns for its second year in a row Saturday night for a mix of symphonic music alongside Grammy Award-winning artists and poets. — Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 Verses of the Urdu poets Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Habib Jalib – long associated with protest movements across South Asia – play from a speaker nearby. — Aakash Hassan, Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for poet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poet
  1. minstrel
  2. muse
  3. bard
Noun
  • The musician-scholar Rhiannon Giddens, a leading interpreter of 19th-century American songs, told me that discussing Foster’s context is difficult because minstrel entertainment is so little understood today.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
  • They were published in the North and South, performed in racist minstrel shows and polite parlors, and sung by abolitionists and defenders of enslavement alike.
    — Christopher Lynch, The Conversation, 1 July 2026
Definition of minstrel
Noun
  • Roth has spent months planning a performance artwork inspired by Irene di Spilimbergo, a 16th-century painter, student, and muse of Titian who at one point lived in the Palazzo dei Fiori.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Williams did her own makeup for her media appearances while Keopple sent her muse down the orange carpets in two distinct looks featuring her own custom designs and luxury pieces.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of muse
Noun
  • Nolan sets the tone by opening with a bard (Travis Scott) beginning to tell the tale of the fall of Troy—at least the idealized heroic version that the bard’s audiences are hungry to hear.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026
  • On Thursday, in a more relaxed setting, Payton became a bard, rattling off tales that will no doubt have a place in next week’s tribute for Brees.
    — Luca Evans, Denver Post, 30 July 2026
Definition of bard

Browse Nearby Words

poesy
poet
poetaster
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Cite this Entry

“Poet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poet. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on poet

Nglish: Translation of poet for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about poet

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