1
a
: an ordered recurrent alternation of strong and weak elements in the flow of sound and silence in speech
b
: a particular example or form of rhythm
iambic rhythm
2
b
: a characteristic rhythmic pattern
rumba rhythm
also
: meter entry 1 sense 2
c
: the group of instruments in a band supplying the rhythm
called also rhythm section
3
a
: movement, fluctuation, or variation marked by the regular recurrence or natural flow of related elements
the rhythms of country life
b
: the repetition in a literary work of phrase, incident, character type, or symbol
4
: a regularly recurrent quantitative change in a variable biological process
a circadian rhythm
compare biorhythm
5
: the effect created by the elements in a play, movie, or novel that relate to the temporal development of the action
6
Examples of rhythm in a Sentence
Jets that cross time zones in a day play havoc with the natural rhythms acquired through evolution.
—
Nancy Shelton, Skeptical Inquirer, May/June 1996
They shattered punk orthodoxy with radical politics and jagged rhythms, their rage captured in brutally succinct outbursts.
—Matt Diehl, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 1994
I would even say that when the bouncy style is not an attempt to dazzle the reader, or one's self, but to incorporate into American literary prose the rhythms, nuances, and emphases of urban and immigrant speech, the result can sometimes be a language of new and rich emotional subtleties …
—Philip Roth, Reading Myself and Others, 1975
She walked as Doctor Reefy thought he had never seen anyone walk before. To her whole body there was a swing, a rhythm that intoxicated him.
—Sherwood Anderson, Winesburg, Ohio, 1919
At that the others began to gibber in unison, also rising to their feet, spreading their hands and swaying their bodies in rhythm with their chant.
—H. G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau, 1896
the composer's use of jazz rhythm
She enjoyed the quiet rhythms of country life.
Travel can disrupt your body's daily rhythm.
Nancy Shelton, Skeptical Inquirer, May/June 1996
They shattered punk orthodoxy with radical politics and jagged rhythms, their rage captured in brutally succinct outbursts.
—Matt Diehl, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 1994
I would even say that when the bouncy style is not an attempt to dazzle the reader, or one's self, but to incorporate into American literary prose the rhythms, nuances, and emphases of urban and immigrant speech, the result can sometimes be a language of new and rich emotional subtleties …
—Philip Roth, Reading Myself and Others, 1975
She walked as Doctor Reefy thought he had never seen anyone walk before. To her whole body there was a swing, a rhythm that intoxicated him.
—Sherwood Anderson, Winesburg, Ohio, 1919
At that the others began to gibber in unison, also rising to their feet, spreading their hands and swaying their bodies in rhythm with their chant.
—H. G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau, 1896
the composer's use of jazz rhythm
She enjoyed the quiet rhythms of country life.
Travel can disrupt your body's daily rhythm.
Recent Examples on the Web
Shared ground is one of the most important ways for partners to build a rhythm together, and that rhythm can determine how long a relationship lasts.
—Mark Travers, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025
The pressure rhythm was adjusted to an uneven triangle pattern to better match the freezing process.
—Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2025
Does your productivity rhythm feel off?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Crystal Palace enters the match seeking to rediscover rhythm after a mixed run of results.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhythm
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Mark Travers, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025
The pressure rhythm was adjusted to an uneven triangle pattern to better match the freezing process.
—Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2025
Does your productivity rhythm feel off?
—Usa Today, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025
Crystal Palace enters the match seeking to rediscover rhythm after a mixed run of results.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rhythm
Cite this Entry
“Rhythm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhythm. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rhythm
noun1
: a flow of rising and falling sounds in language that is produced in verse by a regular repeating of stressed and unstressed syllables
2
: a flow of sound in music having regular accented beats
3
: a particular or typical pattern of rhythm
4
: a movement or activity in which some action repeats regularly
the rhythm of breathing
Medical Definition
rhythm
noun1
: a regularly recurrent quantitative change in a variable biological process: as
a
: the pattern of recurrence of the cardiac cycle
an irregular rhythm
b
: the recurring pattern of physical and functional changes associated with the mammalian and especially human sexual cycle
2
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