rhyme scheme

noun

: the arrangement of rhymes in a stanza or a poem

Examples of rhyme scheme 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 writing is bewildering, the rhyme scheme atrocious. Sloane Crosley, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 The Fables engaged Moore in capturing the rhythms, rhyme schemes, and whimsical tones of the original French. Susan Gubar june 9, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025 The rhyme scheme naturally works better in Italian. James Horncastle, New York Times, 8 June 2025 But what obsessed me were the lyrics, which describe tragi-comically bleak scenes of contemporary abjection using language that felt borderline Shakespearean, tied up in elaborate rhyme schemes and tight lexical knots. Meaghan Garvey, Pitchfork, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rhyme scheme

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rhyme scheme was in 1889

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rhyme scheme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhyme%20scheme. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

rhyme scheme

noun
: the arrangement of rhymes in a stanza or a poem

More from Merriam-Webster on rhyme scheme

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!