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
2
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
b
: exuberance
[Thomas] Wolfe is the sort of author who inspires lyricism or invective, not judicious interpretation Time
3
: 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
Renaissance, Beyoncé's seventh album, was a seductive club banger with heady lyricism and deep tributes to the queer community. CT Jones

Examples of lyricism in a Sentence

the lyricism of his paintings
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
On disk, the Bostonians play with maximum effervescence, but in the Adagio of the Concerto in G Cho’s attempt at otherworldly lyricism turns listless. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 By infusing contemporary soca instrumentation with brash lyricism sourced from her poetry background and the femme-forward approach of female dancehall giants like ’90s and ‘00s hitmaker Lady Saw, Lady Lava is ushering in a new era of soca for a younger audience. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 3 Mar. 2025 Universal Language, with its gentle rhythms and poetic lyricism, would seem to be the furthest thing from those earlier movies. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Feb. 2025 Bar-Kar tells this tale of love, loss, and life-altering lyricism with the same tenderness of Ian’s songwriting. Audra Heinrichs, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lyricism

Word History

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lyricism was in 1760

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Cite this Entry

“Lyricism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lyricism. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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