lyricism
noun
lyr·i·cism
ˈlir-ə-ˌsi-zəm 
1
: the quality or state of being lyric : songfulness
The important part of his anthology 100 Modern Poems is the foreign verse, showing the French influence on our symbolism, the Celtic influence (Yeats, Dylan Thomas) on our lyricism.—
Peter Viereck
Peter Viereck2
a
: an intense personal quality expressive of feeling or emotion in an art (such as poetry or music)
… a muse that brought out the lyricism in innumerable writers.—Erich Segal
Erich Segal
b
: exuberance
[Thomas] Wolfe is the sort of author who inspires lyricism or invective, not judicious interpretation—Time
Time3
: the words of a song : lyrics
witty lyricism
Despite her spitfire raps and devil-may-care persona, Lee's lyricism is surprisingly sensitive, proving the rapper to be wise beyond her years.—Gladys Yeo
Gladys YeoRenaissance, Beyoncé's seventh album, was a seductive club banger with heady lyricism and deep tributes to the queer community.—CT Jones
CT JonesExamples of lyricism in a Sentence
the lyricism of his paintings
Recent Examples on the Web
But in actuality, quality lyricism is the essence of rap — sometimes that means battle bars.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
Readers acquainted with the mixed lyricism and sarcasm of the Communist Manifesto or Marx’s inflamed journalism on the events of his day may be surprised by the desiccated laying out of concepts and dispassionate tone of Capital.
—Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
The track, which featured SZA, has been interpreted as a metaphor for the power of Lamar's lyricism.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
Many point to Dylan’s songwriting and lyricism when explaining his appeal.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2025
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Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 May 2025
Readers acquainted with the mixed lyricism and sarcasm of the Communist Manifesto or Marx’s inflamed journalism on the events of his day may be surprised by the desiccated laying out of concepts and dispassionate tone of Capital.
—Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
The track, which featured SZA, has been interpreted as a metaphor for the power of Lamar's lyricism.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
Many point to Dylan’s songwriting and lyricism when explaining his appeal.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for lyricism
Cite this Entry
“Lyricism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lyricism. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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