lilting

adjective

lilt·​ing ˈlil-tiŋ How to pronounce lilting (audio)
1
: characterized by a rhythmical swing or cadence
a lilting stride
2
: cheerful, buoyant
a lilting comedy
liltingly adverb
liltingness noun

Examples of lilting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The film and her lilting performance in it show how grief can coexist with a kind of grace — a peace with the unknowability of what lies beyond. Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025 Strong breezes have come with another day of drizzle, a chaotic and lilting series of gusts that have required extra effort with every flap of her transparent wings and every maneuver through the vegetation. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2025 Some of Frost’s poems have the lilting quality of lullabies; others seem to deliver their morals in unambiguous terms. Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 Adam immediately turned around upon hearing Britton’s lilting opening notes. Charlie Mason, TVLine, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lilting

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lilting was in 1800

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lilting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lilting. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on lilting

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!