half rhyme

"Half rhyme," also known as "imperfect rhyme" or "slant rhyme," is a poetic technique where words have similar, but not identical, sounds.

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Definition

C1Poetry

(literary, technical)A poetic device where the final consonant sounds of stressed syllables match, but the vowel sounds do not.

Example

  • Using half rhyme can add a subtle discordant note to the poem.
  • The words 'shape' and 'keep' form a half rhyme.

C1Poetry

(literary, technical)A rhyme where consonant sounds are similar but vowel sounds differ, creating a less predictable rhyme pattern.

Example

  • The poet's use of half rhyme between 'moon' and 'run' adds complexity to the verse.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "half rhyme":

imperfect rhymeend rhymeperfect rhymerhyme uprhyme dictionaryrhyme outrhyme off