An expressive, musical, and emotionally vivid quality in art or language.
Reach for it when praising the flowing beauty of prose, poetry, music, film, or movement
The film's quiet lyricism emerged in long views of ordinary work.
| playful | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
playful
Fits when informal praise for smooth rhythm is enough
Careful Flow lacks lyricism's emotional and imaginative depth.
warm
Fits when a pleasing sequence of tones is the concrete feature
Careful Melody is one musical element and not the broader quality of lyricism.
professional
expressiveness
Fits when strength and clarity of communicated feeling is the point
Careful Expressiveness can be raw, jagged, or nonmusical.
professional
Fits when rhythm, tone, and pleasing sound are central
Careful Musicality may be technical and emotionally neutral.
formal
Fits when powerful graceful language persuades or moves
Careful Eloquence can be rhetorical rather than lyrical.
literary
poeticism
Fits when poetic style itself is being discussed critically
Careful Poeticism can suggest affected or excessive poetic language.
literary
poetry
Fits when imaginative beauty matters more than literal verse form
Careful Poetry can name the genre and need not describe musical expression.
quiet lyricism
Quiet lyricism kept the memoir tender without becoming sentimental.
visual lyricism
Visual lyricism linked the film's landscapes and faces.
sense of lyricism
The repeated refrain gave the speech a sense of lyricism.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Flame, not lame, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC0 Updated
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