regular cadence

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   A steady, repeated rhythm or rate at which something happens or is done.

   Grammar: Often used with 'at a ...': work at a regular cadence.

   Patterns

   • at a regular cadence
   • on a regular cadence
   • meet/review at a regular cadence

   The team holds short meetings at a regular cadence, usually once a week.

   Payments go out on a regular cadence so that nothing is forgotten.

   She checks the figures at a regular cadence rather than in one long yearly review.

2. 2phrasefixed phrasemusic

   A rhythm in music or speech that follows a steady, predictable beat.

   Grammar: Describes the beat itself; 'cadence' alone can also mean the closing notes of a phrase.

   Patterns

   • in a regular cadence
   • speak with a regular cadence

   The drummer kept a regular cadence under the melody.

   He read the poem aloud in a calm, regular cadence.

3. 3phrasefixed phrasetechnical

   A repeated pattern of rising and falling in a person's voice.

   Grammar: Used mainly in writing about speech, not in everyday chat.

   Patterns

   • with a regular cadence
   • a regular cadence in someone's voice

   Her voice had a regular cadence that made the long lecture easy to follow.

   Listeners noticed the regular cadence of his sentences.

Common combinations

at a regular cadence

We release new versions at a regular cadence.

on a regular cadence

The reports arrive on a regular cadence every quarter.

establish a regular cadence

The new manager established a regular cadence of one-to-one meetings.

maintain a regular cadence

It is hard to maintain a regular cadence when the schedule keeps changing.

a regular cadence of meetings

A regular cadence of meetings keeps everyone informed.

Synonyms and how they differ

regular rhythm

Very close in meaning, but 'rhythm' is more common for music and body movements, while 'cadence' often suggests a measured, deliberate pattern.

routine

Use 'routine' for a fixed set of habits, not for the timing or beat of repeated events.

frequency

This refers only to how often something happens, not to the steady, even pattern that 'cadence' suggests.

Opposites

Word family

cadence noun

A rhythm or beat, or the rise and fall of a voice.

cadenced adjective

Having a measured, rhythmic flow, especially of speech.

Commonly confused: regular cadence or cadence?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “regular cadence”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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