1
as in poems
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 songs
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment
the guitarist sang a gentle lyric while playing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of lyrics
The maudlin song, whose lyrics too sincere to be funny, will appear on the group’s upcoming Everyone for Ten Minutes, out May 22.
—
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
But the bluntness of the lyrics arrives just as quickly, undercutting the atmosphere by naming too plainly what the music had already begun to evoke with greater force.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 30 Apr. 2026
Co-creator Cinco Paul will be eligible in best original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theatre.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Featuring Tony Award-winning music and lyrics by Miranda and a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes, In the Heights blends hip-hop, Latin rhythms, and traditional Broadway sounds to tell a multigenerational story about family, ambition, and belonging.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
As part of the investigation, police pored through Rincon’s lyrics, searching for anything that could be considered a reference to the homicide.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2026
Amprey explained that the goal is to avoid criminal convictions of Maryland artists by placing guidelines for judges to submit those lyrics as evidence.
—Janay Reece, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
John Lennon basically saw a poster for a circus event with Henry the Horse, so that essentially became the lyrics to that song.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Beaches features a book by Dart and Thom Thomas, music by Mike Stoller and lyrics by Dart.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
But the bluntness of the lyrics arrives just as quickly, undercutting the atmosphere by naming too plainly what the music had already begun to evoke with greater force.
—Emma Madden, Pitchfork, 30 Apr. 2026
Co-creator Cinco Paul will be eligible in best original score (music and/or lyrics) written for the theatre.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Featuring Tony Award-winning music and lyrics by Miranda and a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes, In the Heights blends hip-hop, Latin rhythms, and traditional Broadway sounds to tell a multigenerational story about family, ambition, and belonging.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
As part of the investigation, police pored through Rincon’s lyrics, searching for anything that could be considered a reference to the homicide.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 29 Apr. 2026
Amprey explained that the goal is to avoid criminal convictions of Maryland artists by placing guidelines for judges to submit those lyrics as evidence.
—Janay Reece, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
John Lennon basically saw a poster for a circus event with Henry the Horse, so that essentially became the lyrics to that song.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Beaches features a book by Dart and Thom Thomas, music by Mike Stoller and lyrics by Dart.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lyrics
Noun
-
Among her legion of fans are Stephen Colbert, Steve Buscemi, and Helena Bonham Carter who read from her poems in the documentary.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Like Whitman’s, many of Frost’s poems are songs of occupations.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The songs were radiant, ecstatic, and cleansing, a deep exhale from a band freed from boardroom expectations.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
Were these new songs recorded at the same time as the first batch?—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Not that the album can really be divided into ballads and rockers.—
Brendan Hay,
SPIN,
27 Apr. 2026
-
His silky ballads are uniformly thoughtful and well-constructed, but lack the pathos that would give them greater depth and dimension.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yes, Jaafar is actually singing while portraying Michael, with the late singer's vocals also being blended into some of the tracks.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
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Brian Gibson’s gangrenous bass riffs and gibbering, muffled vocals have even more gonzo energy than usual, while Chippendale mixes bombast and finesse with his customary flair.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The hour-long event included mournful hymns, prayers and the laying of wreaths by the participants, which included representatives from many countries around the world.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Christian hymns were sung in English and Creole.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lyrics.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lyrics. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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