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 Who will bear the voices of the writers and poets living through this moment? — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026 The English poet Peter Bayley used it in an 1803 poetry collection to describe a painting of Jesus. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 Ancient Greek poets Homer and Hesiod helped cement the mountain's mythological importance through their writings, and stories about Olympus eventually spread throughout the Greek and Roman worlds. — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026 The 330-minute work delves into the life of the writer-poet through archives, private collections, rediscovered documents and irreverent narration. — Mya Copeland, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for poet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poet
  1. minstrel
  2. muse
  3. bard
Noun
  • In minstrel shows, white performers wore Black face and mocked Black people for entertainment.
    — Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of minstrel
Noun
  • The launch includes two capsule collections that use two of the house’s famed monograms, Monogram Dune and Monogram Infrarouge, as their muse, as well as taking inspiration from the emblem’s 130th anniversary.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The museum, housed in a hurricane-resistant glass-and-concrete building, originated from two American collectors who were friends with both Dalí and his wife and muse, Gala.
    — Carolanne Griffith Roberts, Southern Living, 18 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 22 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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