Meaning & use

assonance

noun·Advanced

The repetition of similar vowel sounds in nearby words, especially in poetry.

See it in a sentence

The line 'the rain in Spain' uses assonance to link its long a sounds.

Poets often rely on assonance instead of rhyme to create a subtler musical effect.

A note on using this word

Distinct from alliteration, which repeats consonant sounds, and rhyme, which repeats sounds at the end of words.

Words with a similar meaning

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