as in poets
a person who writes lyrics and especially the words of a song
The widely acclaimed lyricist has penned many of pop music's most famous songs.
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Recent Examples of lyricists
The film features original songs and score by composers/lyricists Sharon Kenny and Kirsten Guenther, who are also collaborating on an upcoming stage musical produced by Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door/The Carlson Company.
—
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 11 May 2026
By contrast, Sondheim was consistently accessible and encouraging to younger composers and lyricists even as his own artistic output sputtered.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Witty, imaginative, and brushed with a whisper of melancholy, Blue Moon is a perceptive portrait of one of the 20th century’s finest lyricists.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 3 Dec. 2025
The Songwriters Hall of Fame, founded in 1969, honors lyricists and composers whose work represents a lasting influence on the music industry.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
No two lyricists write lyrics the same way, just as no two novelists write novels the same way.
—Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
So that would be the difference to me, of working with them, as far as them as lyricists.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 11 May 2026
By contrast, Sondheim was consistently accessible and encouraging to younger composers and lyricists even as his own artistic output sputtered.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Witty, imaginative, and brushed with a whisper of melancholy, Blue Moon is a perceptive portrait of one of the 20th century’s finest lyricists.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 3 Dec. 2025
The Songwriters Hall of Fame, founded in 1969, honors lyricists and composers whose work represents a lasting influence on the music industry.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
No two lyricists write lyrics the same way, just as no two novelists write novels the same way.
—Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
So that would be the difference to me, of working with them, as far as them as lyricists.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lyricists
Noun
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The neighborhood, called Jabal al-Joufeh, was historically home to merchants, politicians, and poets.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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Focusing on Vahdat’s repertoire of classical settings for verse by great Persian poets both ancient (Hafez, Rumi) and contemporary (Forough Farrokhzad), as well as songs she’s gathered from Iran’s various ethnic groups, the project includes percussionist Nariman Assadi on tombak and daf.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The plot is high-class soap opera, offered at a time when most composers were avoiding any subject that glamorized the bourgeoisie.—
Russell Platt,
New Yorker,
20 May 2026
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There’s a hypnotizing 360-shot that starts with Galina and Anton day-drinking and then getting into bed, with composers Evgueni and Sacha Galperine’s worrying score pressing upon them, only to come back to the pair in an unchanged, postcoital position.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
Noun
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Set for Sunday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the 2026 ACM Awards lineup includes tried-and-true country hitmakers, breakout stars and trendsetting songwriters.—
Matthew Leimkuehler,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
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The company had been a major player in the catalog acquisition boom of the early 2020s, making deals with many hit songwriters and producers along with recording artists including a $200 million deal for Bieber’s publishing catalog and over $140 million for the Chili Peppers’.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lyricists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lyricists. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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