Definition of poetrynext
1
as in song
writing that uses rhythm, vivid language, and often rhyme to provoke an emotional response not all poetry has to rhyme

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2
as in rhetoric
the art or power of speaking or writing in a forceful and convincing way the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King were filled with the kind of poetry that touches people of all races

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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 poetry The protagonist, Mi-ja, is an older woman who starts to write lyric poetry. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Her most recent work, Elegies (2023), a documentary about Hong Kong poetry, opened Hong Kong International Film Festival and was nominated for the Golden Horse Awards. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026 Robin Williams wore it as the unorthodox poetry teacher in Dead Poets Society; Donald Sutherland donned his own wide-wale version as the burnout professor in Animal House. — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026 Graham’s poetry—as readers of The New York Review will know—somehow manages to reckon with the whole spectrum of human existence in the 2020s. — Matthew Aucoin, The New York Review of Books, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for poetry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poetry
Noun
  • What elevates the greatest album of all time above more standard fodder for pregames and parking-lot smoke seshes is the neon current of romance running beneath its songs.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In a video premiered on Monday, Cardi took over Tiny Desk and brought an eight-song masterclass in breath control, joy, and showmanship.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • And a Gallup poll last year revealed a majority of Americans feel that both parties have gone too far in their use of inflammatory rhetoric to criticize their opponents.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The rhetoric from Rogers and other Republicans about El-Sayed has added to those frustrations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The track opens with piano and a sparkling string arrangement while Bryan takes the first verse.
    — Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Beathard drove the melody in the verses and chorus, threading a stream of steady rhythms that keep the piece rolling forward.
    — Tom Roland, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The rhyme scheme is typically abcb, which means the second and fourth lines end in the same rhyme (b).
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Straight women queuing for Heated Rivalry and Heartstopper have a rhyme with any human queuing for the Court of Thorns and Roses series, simply given all those werewolves.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The collection evolved from there into Monica’s distinctive twist on some of her favorite antique and vintage pieces—charms, poesy rings and celestial motifs.
    — Beth Bernstein, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2022
  • Around my neck is my poesy ring 'adventure' necklace, with a locket holding my secret messages.
    — Will Kahn, Town & Country, 8 Mar. 2019

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Cite this Entry

“Poetry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poetry. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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