# rhythm

/ˈɹɪðəm/ (US) · /ɹˈɪðəm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rhythm
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. music and speech

noun · CEFR B1

a regular pattern of sounds or beats in music, poetry, or the way someone speaks.

For teachers: the systematic arrangement of musical sounds, principally according to duration and periodic stress.

- The song has a fast, catchy rhythm that makes everyone want to dance.
- The drummer maintained a complex syncopated rhythm that challenged the rest of the jazz ensemble to stay in time during their solos.

### 2. regular movement or flow

noun · CEFR B2

a regular pattern of movement or a steady way that something happens.

For teachers: a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound in a physical or abstract process.

- After a few miles, the runner found a steady rhythm and felt less tired.
- It took several weeks for the new team to establish a productive working rhythm and meet their weekly targets consistently.

### 3. natural cycles

noun · CEFR B2

a natural pattern of change that happens again and again, like sleeping or the seasons.

For teachers: a regularly recurring sequence of events or processes, often biological or environmental.

- Jet lag happens when you travel fast and upset your body's natural sleep rhythm.
- Circadian rhythms govern various physiological processes, ensuring that the body performs specific functions at the most appropriate times of the day and night.

### 4. to give a beat to

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to give something a regular beat or pattern.

For teachers: to impart a specific rhythmic structure or cadence to a piece of work or movement.

- The poet worked hard to rhythm his lines so they sounded like the sea.
- The choreographer sought to rhythm the dancers' movements to mirror the industrial sounds of the city background.

## Examples

- The drummer keeps a steady rhythm throughout the song.
- After a few weeks in the new job, she finally found a comfortable daily rhythm.
- The poet uses an irregular rhythm to mirror the chaotic emotions of the narrator, intentionally breaking the expected meter to create a sense of unease.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.