poet laureate
noun
plural poets laureate or poet laureates
1
: a poet honored for achievement
2
a
: a poet appointed for life by an English sovereign as a member of the royal household and formerly expected to compose poems for court and national occasions
b
: a poet appointed annually by the U.S. Library of Congress as a consultant and typically involved in the promotion of poetry
3
: one regarded by a country or region as its most eminent or representative poet
Examples of poet laureate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When Kwame Dawes, Jamaica’s poet laureate, began the Calabash International Literary Festival in 2001, his mission was to help propel Caribbean writers to a larger stage.
—
Anderson Tepper, Travel + Leisure, 13 Oct. 2025
One thing Howard did not plan for, however, was a poem written and edited in tandem by Michigan's poet laureate, Melba Joyce Boyd, and John Percy Boyd.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Arthur Sze will take over from Ada Limón and become the 25th U.S. poet laureate, the Library of Congress announced.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 16 Sep. 2025
Pulitzer Prize finalist and translator Arthur Sze, 74, is the nation’s newest poet laureate, the Library of Congress announced Monday.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poet laureate
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.
Anderson Tepper, Travel + Leisure, 13 Oct. 2025
One thing Howard did not plan for, however, was a poem written and edited in tandem by Michigan's poet laureate, Melba Joyce Boyd, and John Percy Boyd.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Arthur Sze will take over from Ada Limón and become the 25th U.S. poet laureate, the Library of Congress announced.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 16 Sep. 2025
Pulitzer Prize finalist and translator Arthur Sze, 74, is the nation’s newest poet laureate, the Library of Congress announced Monday.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poet laureate
Video
Is It 'Attorney Generals' Or 'Attorneys General'?
'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.
Cite this Entry
“Poet laureate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poet%20laureate. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share