lyric 1 of 2

noun

ˈlir-ik How to pronounce lyric (audio)
Definition of lyricnext
1
as in poem
a composition using rhythm and often rhyme to create a lyrical effect would you care to read your short lyric aloud?

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

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lyric

2 of 2

adjective

1
as in lyrical
having a pleasantly flowing quality suggestive of music they performed a slow, lyric dance for the audience

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poetic
having qualities suggestive of poetry the film's lyric photography really enhanced its romantic mood

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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 lyric
Noun
Based on the Sparks novel, the musical features music and lyrics by Michaelson and a book by Brunstetter. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026 Reggaeton came from Puerto Rico, by way of reggae en español; her lyrics and rhythms were different, and the people collaborating with her came from electronica, not the island. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Adjective
In the accompanying lyric video, Swift also included sweet clips of a trip to Cleveland with Kelce. — Meg Walters, InStyle, 26 Sep. 2026 Prose poetry, the lyric essay and other hybrid forms of literature play at the intersection of genre, which usually defines these separate categories of writing. — Amy Cannon, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lyric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lyric
  1. poem
  2. ballad
  3. lyrical
  4. poetic
  5. song
  6. hymn
  7. melodic
  8. poetical
Noun
  • The poem’s anguished meditations on love’s savagery and isolation are designed to draw blood.
    — Merve Emre, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
  • His poems and books have been translated into Spanish, French, and Dutch.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of poem
Noun
  • The great modern American ballad, from Dylan or Joni Mitchell or Simon, often takes the form of a private self-inspection, a singer reflecting on experience.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The song is a tale of a small town drying up as businessmen buy up all the land, and Supernaw — with his distinctive twang — sang it as a hard-luck ballad.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of ballad
Adjective
  • The thing was to be able to do it artsy-fartsy, slick, lyrical, and whatever the [new] generation calls it.
    — Angel Diaz, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The new record reveals a deep reverence for an acutely lyrical branch of Atlanta rap.
    — Narsimha Gour Chintaluri, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of lyrical
Adjective
  • By letting its subjects speak for themselves without imposing judgments, the film offers a poetic view of alternative ways of life.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Leoal caught my eye with its delicate knitwear and effortless femininity, while Tadzio Reverie offered a fresh, poetic take on nautical dressing.
    — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of poetic
Noun
  • There are some apocalypses, the song seems to suggest, where no redemptive beauty can be found.
    — Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Taylor Swift looked back on her earliest days crafting songs in Music City as she was inducted Monday into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, becoming its youngest member at 36.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of song
Noun
  • At the conclusion of an English-language service interspersed with hymns in Arabic, the priest introduced Salazar, who stood up in the front row, smiling and waving.
    — Daniel Castro, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2026
  • At a campaign event held at a college chapel in Lindsborg, Hamilton led the crowd in a hymn and did not mention his opponent by name.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hymn
Adjective
  • This range gives his work room to move between club music, melodic influences, and records centered on relationships and life experiences.
    — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Those collaborations helped establish him as one of hip-hop’s most recognizable melodic voices even before the arrival of his first solo LP.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of melodic
Adjective
  • There are ones who are more ideological, others more poetical.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Svelte yet heavy, Clipse’s latest sees all their phonetic and poetical gifts rendered to subtly maximal effect, with their lithe vocals cresting Pharrell’s glossy surfaces like snowfall.
    — Peter A. Berry, Variety, 11 July 2025
Definition of poetical

Browse Nearby Words

lynx-eyed
lyric
lyrical
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Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Lyric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lyric. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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