rhythm

rhythm — noun

1. A regularly repeating pattern of beats, stresses, or notes that gives music, poe

1.nounA2
Definition

A regularly repeating pattern of beats, stresses, or notes that gives music, poetry, or dance its sense of timing and forward movement.

Example

The drummer kept a steady rhythm while the guitarist played the melody.

collocation: keep a steady rhythm

Kian learned to read music by tapping out basic rhythms on a wooden block.

Common collocations
  • steady rhythm
  • strong rhythm
  • basic rhythm
  • keep rhythm
  • tap out a rhythm
  • feel the rhythm
  • rhythm section
Synonyms
  • beat

    refers more narrowly to the basic pulse or unit of time, while 'rhythm' covers the overall pattern

  • tempo

    indicates speed or pace, whereas 'rhythm' emphasises the pattern of strong and weak elements

  • pulse

    suggests the underlying steady beat that drives the music forward

Antonyms
  • silence

    the absence of sound, so no rhythmic pattern exists

  • noise

    unstructured, irregular sound with no repeating pattern

Grammar Patterns

rhythm + of + noun phrase

a rhythm of [n] beats/bars

Usage Note

Often used with verbs such as 'keep', 'beat', 'tap', 'clap', and 'feel'. Can be countable ('a slow rhythm') or uncountable ('music with a lot of rhythm').

Common Mistakes

The song has a good rythm.
The song has a good rhythm.
'rhythm' is one of the most commonly misspelled English words; remember the order: r-h-y-t-h-m.
I like the rhythm and the blues.
I like rhythm and blues.
'rhythm and blues' is a fixed genre name; no article is needed before the word 'rhythm' in this compound.

2. A regular, repeated pattern of physical motion, especially in activities such as

2.nounB1
Definition

A regular, repeated pattern of physical motion, especially in activities such as walking, running, swimming, or dancing.

Example

The swimmer found her rhythm and glided smoothly through the water.

collocation: find one's rhythm

Chidi maintained a steady running rhythm for the entire ten-kilometre race.

Common collocations
  • find one's rhythm
  • lose one's rhythm
  • steady rhythm
  • match one's rhythm
  • breathing rhythm
  • running rhythm
Synonyms
  • cadence

    more formal and specific to walking, running, or marching steps

  • flow

    emphasises smooth, effortless motion rather than the pattern of repetition

Antonyms
  • clumsiness

    awkward, uncoordinated movement with no smooth pattern

Grammar Patterns

possessive + rhythm

find/lose + possessive + rhythm

Usage Note

Commonly appears in the phrase 'find one's rhythm', meaning to reach a comfortable, efficient, and effective pace during a physical activity. 'Lose one's rhythm' is the opposite — to fall out of a smooth pattern.

Common Mistakes

He runs in a rhythm.
He runs with rhythm.' or 'He finds his rhythm.
'in a rhythm' is rare and awkward; use 'with rhythm' or the common phrase 'find one's rhythm'.

3. The predictable timing with which natural processes, bodily functions, or everyd

3.nounB2
Definition

The predictable timing with which natural processes, bodily functions, or everyday routines repeat themselves.

Example

The rhythm of the seasons shapes the lives of farmers around the world.

collocation: rhythm of the seasons

Doctors monitored the rhythm of Anya's heartbeat after her surgery.

pattern: rhythm of heartbeat

Common collocations
  • natural rhythm
  • circadian rhythm
  • heart rhythm
  • rhythm of life
  • daily rhythm
  • seasonal rhythm
  • body rhythm
Synonyms
  • cycle

    more general; a cycle is any repeating sequence, while 'rhythm' implies a natural or organic timing

  • pattern

    broader in meaning and less tied to temporal repetition; a pattern can be spatial or static

Antonyms
  • disorder

    the lack of any regular, predictable pattern; randomness

  • chaos

    complete absence of structure or repetition

Grammar Patterns

rhythm + of + noun (the rhythm of the seasons)

the [adj] rhythm of [noun]

Usage Note

Frequently used in scientific and medical contexts: 'circadian rhythm' (the 24-hour body clock), 'heart rhythm', 'seasonal rhythm'. In everyday conversation, the phrase 'rhythm of life' refers to the established routine that structures someone's days.

Common Mistakes

My sleep rhythm is irregularly.
My sleep rhythm is irregular.
'rhythm' takes an adjective, not an adverb, as a complement.

Word family

  • rhythmic
    adjectiveB1
  • rhythmically
    adverbB2
  • arrhythmia
    nounC1
  • rhythmless
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words relate to the timing of music, but each focuses on a different aspect. 'Beat' refers to the basic, steady unit of time — the underlying pulse you tap your foot to. 'Tempo' tells you how fast or slow that beat is (measured in beats per minute). 'Rhythm' (the headword) is the broadest term: it describes the entire pattern of long and short, strong and weak sounds built on top of the beat. For example, a song may have a fast tempo and a strong beat, but the drummer creates a complex rhythm using hi-hat, snare, and bass drum patterns. 'Pulse' is similar to 'beat' but more organic — the regular throb you feel in the music rather than the counted time unit.

beat ↗tempopulse ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • sense of rhythm
  • rhythm of life
  • out of rhythm
  • in rhythm with

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word entered English from Latin 'rhythmus', which came from Greek 'rhythmos' (ῥυθμός), meaning 'measured flow, movement, or time'. The Greek root is related to 'rhein' (ῥεῖν), 'to flow'. Originally used for the measured movement of water or time, the musical sense developed in ancient Greek theory and passed through Latin into French ('rythme') before appearing in Middle English as 'rytme' or 'rime' — a form that later split from 'rhyme' as meanings diverged. The modern spelling with 'rhyth-' was restored during the Renaissance to reflect the Greek origin.