sonnet

noun

Definition of sonnetnext
as in poem
a composition made up of 14 lines that rhyme in a fixed pattern He wrote gushy sonnets to his girlfriend when he was away at camp.

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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 sonnet My expertise, for example, is in the African American sonnet tradition. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 12 May 2026 After all, no poet talks seriously about doing statistical regression on sonnets to find the optimal ones. — Konstantin Kakaes, Quanta Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026 Recently reissued by original label Rough Trade Records, Songs to Remember epitomizes the group’s attempt to reconcile an art-school background, 1977-era punk ethics, and an obsession with chart pop into a musical statement as stately and cohesive as a book of sonnets. — Alfred Soto, Pitchfork, 11 Apr. 2026 In the Village Voice, where the Consumer Guide became one of the fabled alt-weekly’s go-to features from the ’70s through the ’90s, Christgau wrote like a possessed fan who breathed insight, making every capsule sound like a psychedelic sonnet. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sonnet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sonnet
  1. poem
  2. lyric
Noun
  • And for me, poems, especially these sorts of poems in this collection, are time capsules.
    — Terry Gross, NPR, 14 Aug. 2026
  • For Fried is, as his poems prove, a writer attuned to the shape of thought and the sound of a word.
    — Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of poem
Noun
  • Eisenberg wrote, directed and produced the film, also appearing in it and composing its original music and lyrics.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Her lyrics, like those of many of her biggest musical influences, are dense texts, full of winking allusions and subtle references to records, bands, and albums that have shaped her own songwriting.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of lyric

Browse Nearby Words

songwriters
sonnet
sonneteer
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Cite this Entry

“Sonnet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sonnet. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sonnet

Nglish: Translation of sonnet for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sonnet

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