What does "rhythm" mean?
The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter.
Rhythm
/ˈɹɪð.m̩/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter.
- Grammar: rhythm is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: beat, meter, prosody, accent.
- Useful contrasts: arrhythmia, asynchrony, asystole.
- Usage evidence: I like the slow rhythm of that song.
How to use "rhythm"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "rhythm" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "rhythm" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "rhythm" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "rhythm" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "rhythm" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "beat" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "rhythm", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter. countable, uncountable
"Dance to the rhythm of the music."
- 2 natural family planning in which ovulation is assumed to occur 14 days before the onset of a period (the fertile period would be assumed to extend from day 10 through day 18 of her cycle) wordnet
- 3 A specifically defined pattern of such variation. countable, uncountable
"Most dances have a rhythm as distinctive as the Iambic verse in poetry"
- 4 recurring at regular intervals wordnet
- 5 A flow, repetition or regularity. countable, uncountable
"Once you get the rhythm of it, the job will become easy."
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 (architecture) the repetitive use of a group of visual elements to establish a recognizable pattern wordnet
- 7 The tempo or speed of a beat, song or repetitive event. countable, uncountable
"We walked with a quick, even rhythm."
- 8 the arrangement of spoken words alternating stressed and unstressed elements wordnet
- 9 The musical instruments which provide rhythm (mainly; not or less melody) in a musical ensemble. countable, uncountable
"The Baroque term basso continuo is virtually equivalent to rhythm"
- 10 the basic rhythmic unit in a piece of music wordnet
- 11 A regular quantitative change in a variable (notably natural) process. countable, uncountable
"The rhythm of the seasons dominates agriculture as well as wildlife"
- 12 an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs wordnet
- 13 Controlled repetition of a phrase, incident or other element as a stylistic figure in literature and other narrative arts; the effect it creates. countable, uncountable
"The running gag is a popular rhythm in motion pictures and theater comedy"
- 14 A person's natural feeling for rhythm. countable, uncountable
"That girl's got rhythm, watch her dance!"
Verb
- 1 To impart a (particular) rhythm to. transitive
"The pamphlet, writes Muray, 'is the supremely affirmative form in which nothing can be turned around, rhythmed or played with in synonyms and rhymes'."
Example
"I like the slow rhythm of that song."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "rhythm"?
Common synonyms include: beat, meter, prosody, accent, accentuation, alexandrine.
How do you use "rhythm" in a sentence?
I like the slow rhythm of that song.
How do you pronounce "rhythm"?
Pronounced /ˈɹɪð.m̩/.
Etymology
First coined in 1557, from Latin rhythmus, from Ancient Greek ῥυθμός (rhuthmós, “any measured flow or movement, symmetry, rhythm”), from ῥέω (rhéō, “I flow, run, stream, gush”).