lilt 1 of 2

as in accent
the attractive quality of speech or music that rises and falls in a pleasing pattern There was a charming lilt to her voice. a tune with a lilt

Synonyms & Similar Words

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lilt

2 of 2

verb

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lilt
Noun
The rhymed verse the characters speak in doesn’t at all hinder them from expressing themselves colloquially, in idioms that sound better with a languorous Southern lilt. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2024 And all of it is held together by a simple but spellbinding melodic lilt. Stephen Metcalf, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2024
Verb
Their small sounds and snuffles were barely audible above the lilting bleeps of incubators in the neonatal ward. Hajar Harb, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023 Sauvé is extremely soft-spoken, her slight Quebecois accent lilting over the crowd’s hush. Cameron Cook, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2023 See all Example Sentences for lilt 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lilt
Noun
  • During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump often mocked Macron, imitating his accent and threatening to impose steep tariffs on wine and Champagne bottles shipped to the U.S. if France tried to tax American companies.
    Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
  • Consider metallic accents, rich reds, deep greens, crisp blues, or simple and elegant whites.
    Felicity Carter, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Fan video of the special moment found Harlow, dressed in a dark double-breasted suit with a light blue shirt and black tie, expertly crooning the song over the sweep of strings to whoops of delight from the audience.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 2 Dec. 2024
  • With every command the singer crooned into the mic, his guitar wailed right back.
    Mars Salazar, Austin American-Statesman, 15 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • There are players who are squeezed by the calendar and the high cadence of games; this is an issue that is rightly gaining more attention.
    Asif Burhan, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
  • Therapists typically like to see clients at a regular cadence such as weekly or once every two weeks in order to meet treatment goals.
    Perri Ormont Blumberg, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The Celtic Tenors Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook The Celtic Tenors — Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson — have been warbling together for years and are back on a U.S. tour with a special Christmas set.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 30 Nov. 2024
  • Fans only need to wait a few weeks to warble along with Erivo and Ariana Grande — interactive sing-along screenings of the film are set to premiere on Christmas Day.
    William Earl, Variety, 28 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Middleton will need time to recalibrate his timing and rhythm, particularly in high-stakes moments.
    Brian Sampson, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
  • However, owner Woody Johnson had considered even bolder changes earlier in the season, as the team struggled to find its rhythm.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The former president's endorsement process has evolved from haphazard to sharp and effective, rendering all other endorsements all but obsolete.
    Kaleigh Rogers, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2024
  • That included everything from off-center parts at Simone Rocha to sharp, contrasting textures at KNWLS.
    India Espy-Jones, Essence, 21 Sep. 2023
Verb
  • Or will Allen and Co. keep humming along and win their 10th game of the season?
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
  • Once those two return, Lillard’s gravity will make life exponentially easier for them, opening up even more opportunities for Milwaukee’s offense to hum.
    Brian Sampson, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Any minute now, the mockingbird will trill at me to go to bed.
    Edan Lepucki, The Atlantic, 12 July 2024
  • At dawn, cooing doves and trilling Eurasian blackbirds woke me.
    Nina Burleigh, New York Times, 21 May 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Lilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lilt. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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