Lyrics
Slant Rhyme
- Definition
- A slant rhyme, also called a near rhyme, pairs words whose ending sounds are similar but not identical, such as 'heart' and 'part' versus 'heart' and 'hurt.'
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Songwriting stage
- writing
In practice
Where a perfect rhyme matches ending sounds exactly, a slant rhyme matches only some of the sound, often just the consonant or just the vowel. This softer match lets a lyricist connect two words that feel related without forcing the line into an obvious or clichéd rhyme pair.
Slant rhymes are especially useful when the most exact rhyming word doesn't fit the meaning or tone a writer wants. Using slant rhyme throughout a lyric can also give it a more conversational, modern feel compared to lyrics built entirely on perfect rhymes.
Example
A chorus rhymes 'alone' with 'home,' a slant rhyme that shares only the ending consonant sound rather than matching exactly, letting the writer keep both words without reaching for a more obvious perfect rhyme.