lilt 1 of 2

Definition of liltnext
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

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lilt

2 of 2

verb

Example 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
Pattinson leans into his awkward charm and English lilt, but allows something colder to seep in around the edges. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 3 Apr. 2026 Parker’s voice on the other hand has the natural lilt of conversation—her tone is sweet, warm, and soulful, a balance of airiness and gravity. Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
The musical prose hums with different accents, most evidently with Milena’s quips in French and Enzo’s Levantine lilt. Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026 The album is a triumphant release that balances anger and grief and, at times, surprising joy, with Estrada’s bright, lilting soprano piercing through the veil of her pain. Cat Cardenas, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lilt
Noun
  • Expect a calm palette of neutrals and soft blues, metallic accents, and plenty of natural light, with views either west toward the mountains and desert or north up the Strip.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • But that was the part that was keeping me up at night, the accent, partially because some of it is the same as my accent from New Jersey.
    Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Those who fail to sing get tagged with a red laser pointer, so pretty much everyone croons.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
  • The feeling was warm with the weather to match, the synth pads and Auto-Tuned croons so airy and resonant.
    Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • Quite often, Tropper found inspiration in Gosling’s cadence and expressions.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
  • There’s a cadence to fertilizer application, however, and it’s best done at specific times throughout the year.
    Heather Bien, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • With her rich rupture of a voice, Caven warbles and quavers 16 autobiographical songs in German and French, accompanied by the electronic Catalan band Molforts.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Her distinctive voice has been Widowspeak’s emblem since the band first emerged, warbled like Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval over CB radio.
    Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • Research suggests the body’s circadian rhythm—the internal clock that regulates sleep, hormones, and metabolism—is partly influenced by meal timing.
    Trista Chan, HEALTH, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In both cases, there is something at once magisterial and leadenly self-regarding about the melancholic rhythms of Cusk’s prose, with its stiff and stately syntax and its utter impatience with the real vagaries of difference.
    Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In the fall, the workers trade in their pruning shears for knives sharp enough to skin a deer in minutes.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 28 Nov. 2025
  • Today there’s a rich universe of supplemental Pynchon material ranging from prose only an English PhD could unpack, to sharp analysis that makes the experience of reading Pynchon communal and fun.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Dreamy interludes pad the space between tracks with humming synths and strings; sometimes songs dissolve into floating mood pieces, anchored by a drone or loop.
    Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The insects protect their queen, collecting in a roiling, humming mass on his hand.
    Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Maine coons have become popular for their playful, sociable reputation, distinctive chirps and trills and their deep roots in New England history.
    Pat Mueller, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Zipf’s law states that a handful of words—or, in this case, chirps, whistles and trills—occur frequently, while most are rare.
    Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lilt. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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