rhythm

noun

ˈri-t͟həm How to pronounce rhythm (audio)
Definition of rhythmnext
as in cadence
the recurrent pattern formed by a series of sounds having a regular rise and fall in intensity the steady rhythm of the rain falling on the roof

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 rhythm But instead, the land breathes with the water, its rhythm steadied by the bogs that quietly hold the balance of the whole system. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 But Murray found a rhythm in the second half of that game and maintained it the following week in New Orleans. — CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 The crests reached from shore to shore in a steady, driving rhythm. — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026 Justin Herbert is totally out of rhythm — the opposite of his Brazil performance against the Chiefs last season. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rhythm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhythm
  1. cadence
  2. beat
  3. drum
Noun
  • In her eyes, a speedy race and a seamless podcast have a common thread — cadence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Following the first two episodes, Rushmore will move to a bi-weekly release cadence.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of cadence
Noun
  • Revenue blew past the consensus by nearly $2 billion, with equities trading power a large chunk of that beat.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, polskas emphasize the first and third beats, creating a loping sort of feeling.
    — David Harris, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of beat
Noun
  • Kerry McCoy’s guitar juices up a mid-song gallop by abruptly pivoting from big and noisy to compressed and snarling; at the climax, everything cuts out for a second to spotlight a Daniel Tracy drum fill.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The ballad finds Fontaines’ Grian Chatten and Rosalía trading lines over a moody acoustic strum that repeatedly swells with strings and clattering drums.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of drum

Browse Nearby Words

rhyming
rhythm
rhythmic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rhythm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhythm. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rhythm

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rhythm

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