as in accent
the attractive quality of speech or music that rises and falls in a pleasing pattern
There was a charming lilt to her voice. a tune with a lilt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lilt
Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 18 July 2024
On each and particularly the McEntire cover, Frantz is in full control of her vocal instrument, wielding each vocal lilt and swoop and maximizing each moment of heartache.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024
Hajar Harb, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
Sauvé is extremely soft-spoken, her slight Quebecois accent lilting over the crowd’s hush.
—Cameron Cook, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for lilt 
Noun
The claims lost credibility when Albrighton, mild mannered and softly spoken in his Brummie (Birmingham) lilt, was named as one of the key conspirators.
—Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 18 July 2024
On each and particularly the McEntire cover, Frantz is in full control of her vocal instrument, wielding each vocal lilt and swoop and maximizing each moment of heartache.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
Their small sounds and snuffles were barely audible above the lilting bleeps of incubators in the neonatal ward.
—Hajar Harb, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023
Sauvé is extremely soft-spoken, her slight Quebecois accent lilting over the crowd’s hush.
—Cameron Cook, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for lilt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lilt
Noun
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The island's high-gloss paint finish and gold accents reflect light to brighten the room.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Feb. 2025
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Photo by George Barberis; Styling by Jorie Garcia Vivid color, playful patterns, and vintage accents are hallmarks of Casework Interiors’ joyful, modern spaces, which capture the perfect mix of past and present.—
Elizabeth Stamp,
Architectural Digest,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway crooned through wall speakers.—
Laurie Ochoa,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2025
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So who cares about a little late-night Phil Collins crooning, right?—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Though the Adams administration has won hundreds of millions of federal infrastructure dollars, being able to plan to a regular cadence — rather than waiting for post-disaster FEMA funds or the right political winds to blow — would help the pace of our work exponentially.—
Meera Joshi,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2025
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Unlike so much contemporary poetry, his poems would seem to welcome you in, with an easy cadence and familiar references that seem to amuse.—
Corey Seymour,
Vogue,
6 Feb. 2025
Verb
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To lend the appearance of vitality, junk cars driven by mannequins populated the parking lot to the backdrop of warbling holiday tapes played on low-fidelity loudspeakers.—
Douglas C. Towne,
The Arizona Republic,
18 Dec. 2024
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Phoenix, who doesn’t seem accustomed to singing, much less very interested in it, is forced to warble his way through song numbers while Gaga refuses to lay down a dichotomy between what’s real versus fantasy concerning her character’s musical talents.—
Nicholas Bell,
SPIN,
17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Together, our findings reinforce the role circadian rhythms play in addiction.—
Mackenzie Gamble,
The Conversation,
10 Feb. 2025
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There are a lot of commonalities in the music between zydeco in Lafayette and jazz and brass in New Orleans and sometimes the rhythm sections can overlap.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA TODAY,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The world’s second-largest economy continues to face a range of challenges, from job insecurity among the younger generation to sharp downturns in the property sector, once a cornerstone of the country’s economic growth.—
Hassan Tayir,
CNN,
5 Feb. 2025
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The former president's endorsement process has evolved from haphazard to sharp and effective, rendering all other endorsements all but obsolete.—
Kaleigh Rogers,
ABC News,
13 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Cue the foot-tapping, head-nodding and humming along.—
Lara Bockenstedt,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2025
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On a brisk weekday in October 2023, three sewing machines hummed while experimental indie pop played quietly inside a warehouse near the airport in Missoula, Montana.—
Amelia Arvesen,
Outside Online,
28 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Keep pounding, trilling, or skipping along waves of notes, and your hands take flight.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2025
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The Volta Associates can be heard counting, trilling the letter R, and reciting Shakespeare.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Apr. 2018
Thesaurus Entries Near lilt
Cite this Entry
“Lilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lilt. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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