polyrhythm
noun
poly·rhythm
ˈpä-lē-ˌri-t͟həm 
: the simultaneous combination of contrasting rhythms in music
Examples of polyrhythm in a Sentence
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His emphasis on complex polyrhythms and the inclusion of traditional African instruments like the talking drum were revolutionary at the time — a rebellion against the dominance of Western pop and a marked effort to forge a post-colonial African identity.
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Ian Brennan, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
Instruments drift in and out, sometimes accreting into subtle polyrhythms or harmonies, and other times lightly undergirding Ederra’s gorgeous runs.
—Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 11 Mar. 2026
David Byrne needs to figure out the polyrhythms for Talking Heads’ Remain in Light?
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
In subsequent years, the influence of Afrobeat—an expansive term for music that combines West African polyrhythms, particularly from Nigeria and Ghana, with elements of jazz and funk—became increasingly palpable in Byrne’s writing.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
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Ian Brennan, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026
Instruments drift in and out, sometimes accreting into subtle polyrhythms or harmonies, and other times lightly undergirding Ederra’s gorgeous runs.
—Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 11 Mar. 2026
David Byrne needs to figure out the polyrhythms for Talking Heads’ Remain in Light?
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2026
In subsequent years, the influence of Afrobeat—an expansive term for music that combines West African polyrhythms, particularly from Nigeria and Ghana, with elements of jazz and funk—became increasingly palpable in Byrne’s writing.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for polyrhythm
Cite this Entry
“Polyrhythm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polyrhythm. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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