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 Unlike the appendage, where atrial fibrillation is necessary for clots to form, stagnation and clot formation can occur within the LASP even in a perfectly normal heart rhythm. — Subramaniam C. Krishnan, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026 With the rhythm firmly in control, the track feels fast, kinetic and impossible to sit through quietly. — Qygwork, Billboard, 28 Sep. 2026 Composers of both classical and popular music study what came before them, absorbing and reworking earlier melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and techniques. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 Ward found a rhythm late but was picked off by Holland in the end zone, his first interception this season. — Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rhythm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rhythm
  1. cadence
  2. beat
  3. drum
Noun
  • Generally, meetings happen at least once per year, but the cadence may vary based on complexity and the scope of the engagement.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Myers was always drawn to blues artists like Charlie Patton and others who sang in a cadence that felt, to him, like poetry to music.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of cadence
Noun
  • His fingers move quickly as his leg taps, shaking the IV line to vibrate along with the beat.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Regarding any of the movie’s more controversial beats, however, Altman shrugs it all off.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of beat
Noun
  • The longer the song goes on, the more the relentless pulse of the drums starts to seem indifferent and mechanical, an actual machine with no awareness of human life, while the drones grow longer and feel more and more like deep sighs.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • At first, there was almost nothing onstage — no drums, just microphone stands on an undulating platform surrounding the venue’s Snake Pit.
    — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of drum

Browse Nearby Words

rhyming
rhythm
rhythmic
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Cite this Entry

“Rhythm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rhythm. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rhythm

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rhythm

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