Meaning & use
poetic
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Relating to poetry or having the beautiful, rhythmic qualities of poetry.
Grammar: Usually not gradable; you don't say 'more poetic' unless comparing two things directly.
Patterns
- poetic language
- poetic imagery
- poetic form
The novel's poetic descriptions of the sea made me want to visit the coast.
She has a poetic way of speaking that makes everyday things sound special.
The film uses poetic imagery to show the character's memories.
adjectivecomparable
Showing a strong, imaginative, and sensitive view of the world.
Grammar: Can be gradable: 'more poetic', 'most poetic'.
Patterns
- a poetic soul
- poetic nature
He was a poetic child who spent hours watching clouds.
Her poetic nature made her notice small details others missed.
Word forms
| comparative | more poetic |
|---|---|
| superlative | most poetic |
Common combinations
- poetic justice
- It was poetic justice when the thief's own car was stolen.
- poetic license
- The filmmaker took poetic license with historical facts.
- poetic language
- The poem uses poetic language to describe a simple walk.
- poetic imagery
- The song is full of poetic imagery about the moon and stars.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lyrical
- Lyrical often suggests a musical, song-like quality, while poetic is broader.
- artistic
- Artistic relates to art in general; poetic specifically relates to poetry or poetic qualities.
Opposites
Word family
- poetry noun
- Literary writing in verse form.
- poet noun
- A person who writes poems.
- poetically adverb
- In a poetic manner.
Commonly confused: poetic or poetical?
poetic vs poetical
Poetical is an older, less common variant of poetic; use poetic in modern English.
Practice
The phrase 'poetic justice' means:
Choose one answer.
'Poetic justice' describes a situation where good or bad things happen to someone in a way that seems perfectly fair and often ironic. The other options are literal but not the meaning of the fixed phrase.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “poetic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.