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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
As the only standalone English track of the album, its lyrics speak of a situationship so suspended in uncertainty that Selines craftily matched it with the sonic sensation of floating into outer space. — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 This patriotic anthem of the American Revolution originated as a favorite tune of British soldiers, who enjoyed its lyrics mocking American colonists. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Adjective
According to a release from Parkwood Entertainment, the song arrives along with a lyric video directed by Cliff Watts that repurposes old footage. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 4 July 2026 In Appalachia, a regional style of song emerged that transformed the narrative focus of British ballads into shorter lyric folk songs suitable for presentation on commercial recordings. — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 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
  • Spiro borrows part of that message from the famous poet Nikki Giovanni, who recorded her poem of that same name as a song in 1975 with producer Arif Mardin, making for the only sample or interpolation on the album.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 July 2026
  • Helena Bonham Carter, there’s a TikTok of her reading a Mary Oliver poem.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 3 July 2026
Definition of poem
Noun
  • Hart went into writing the ballad with that information, but the rest was up to him.
    — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • These songs were less detailed than the ballads but conveyed intense emotion gleaned from an often hardscrabble existence.
    — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of ballad
Adjective
  • Hers is a voice that ought to have a lifetime’s staying power, bolstered by a lyrical and musical sensibility that provide everything her instrument needs to deliver a happy succession of knockout blows.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 3 July 2026
  • The Brooklyn neighborhood where, if Swiftie lyrical interpretations are to be trusted, Swift left a now-infamous scarf at the home of one Maggie Gyllenhaal around 2010.
    — Lily Boyce, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of lyrical
Adjective
  • Last week, some of the brightest minds of my generation left us angry elegies and poetic travelogues.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • Katayama added several poetic but complex notes to the Human Vapor’s final form.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
Definition of poetic
Noun
  • The search for the opening song stretched into the final weeks before filming, with Kittrell, Dries and pilot director Jason Moore trading ideas over text.
    — Angelina Mazza, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • That passion was evident throughout the evening as supporters periodically broke into song.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
Definition of song
Noun
  • On this particular afternoon, worship began with an opening hymn that Brown led from the back, a one-woman choir.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Many American poets have written hymns and howls, declarations and outcries for this country that brims with so many people, and so many hopes, from all over the world.
    — Scott Simon, NPR, 4 July 2026
Definition of hymn
Adjective
  • Perhaps the most striking thing about this savage beatdown is its sweetly melodic backing track.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
  • Unlike the brighter, more melodic style often associated with Austria and the Tyrol region, Swiss yodeling is slower and more melancholic — an emotionally nuanced tradition rooted in distinct regional dialects.
    — Jez Fielder, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Definition of melodic
Adjective
  • There are ones who are more ideological, others more poetical.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Definition of poetical

Browse Nearby Words

lynx-eyed
lyric
lyrical
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Cite this Entry

“Lyric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lyric. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on lyric

Nglish: Translation of lyric for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lyric

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