What is a Rhyme?
A rhyme is when words have similar ending sounds, usually used to make poetry or songs sound pleasing. For example, in the lines "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are," the words "star" and "are" rhyme because they sound similar.
Rhymes are often found at the ends of lines in poems and songs, helping to create a rhythm and a memorable pattern. This can make poems and songs easier to remember and more enjoyable to say out loud.
With our rhyming dictionary, you can find all types of rhymes, including:
Perfect Rhymes
Perfect rhymes occur when the final accented vowel and all following consonants sound exactly the same.
- Example "sky" and "high," "leave" and "believe."
Slant Rhymes (also known as Half Rhymes or Near Rhymes)
Slant rhymes have a similarity in sound but are not a perfect match. They usually match in either consonants or vowel sounds but not both.
- Example "shape" and "keep," "storm" and "arm."
Eye Rhymes
Eye rhymes look similar when written but do not sound alike.
- Example "love" and "move," "bough" and "cough."
Identical Rhymes
Identical rhymes occur when the same word or same sounding words are used as rhymes.
- Example "bear" and "bear," "read" (to peruse) and "read" (past tense of read).
Rich Rhymes
Rich rhymes feature words that are homophones (sound alike but have different meanings) rhyming together.
- Example "raise" and "raze," "two" and "too."
Forced Rhymes
Forced rhymes appear strained and unnatural, often because the words do not quite rhyme or the rhythm is off.
- Example "heaven" and "given" (the stress on the syllables doesn't quite match).
Internal Rhymes
Internal rhymes occur when one or more words within a line rhyme with the ending word of the same line or another line.
- Example "I drove myself to the lake and dove in."
End Rhymes
End rhymes happen at the ends of lines of poetry or songs, which is what most people think of when they think of rhyming.
- Example "Whose woods these are I think I know. / His house is in the village though."
Rhyming is usually introduced to children in school at a young age, helping them develop a feel for the language's rhythm and flow. This early practice not only makes reading and writing more fun but also enhances their language skills.
You should also note that rhymes in poems, etc. can come in many forms. Learning the different rhymes schemes is a great way for a poet to expand his/her portfolio of knowledge.