rhythmic

rhythmic — adjective

1. Happening with a clear, regularly repeating beat or pattern — used especially fo

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

Happening with a clear, regularly repeating beat or pattern — used especially for sounds, movement, or music that have a steady pulse.

Example

Eshe focused on her rhythmic breathing to calm herself before the exam.

collocation: rhythmic breathing

The drummers played a fast, rhythmic beat that made the crowd clap along.

collocation: rhythmic beat

Common collocations
  • rhythmic breathing
  • rhythmic beat
  • rhythmic pattern
  • rhythmic movement
  • rhythmic sound
  • rhythmic flow
Synonyms
  • regular

    More general; does not specifically suggest beat or pulse

  • steady

    Emphasises consistency and evenness rather than patterned repetition

  • pulsing

    More active and energetic; suggests a strong, noticeable beat

  • cadenced

    More formal or technical; common in literary or music criticism

Antonyms
  • irregular

    Lacking a consistent or predictable pattern

  • uneven

    Not smooth or regular in timing or force

Grammar Patterns

rhythmic + noun

be + rhythmic

Usage Note

Commonly describes sound, movement, or visual patterns with a regular repeating pulse. Typical noun partners include breathing, beat, pattern, movement, sound, and flow.

Common Mistakes

The music had a nice rhythm.' (correct but noun, not adjective).
The music was nice and rhythmic.
Use the adjective form to describe something directly.
The dancers moved rhythm.' (noun where adjective is needed).
The dancers moved in a rhythmic way.
'Rhythm' is a noun; 'rhythmic' is the adjective form.

Word family

  • rhythm
    nounB1
  • rhythmically
    adverbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While all four words suggest something happening in a predictable pattern, rhythmic specifically emphasises a beat or pulse that you can feel or hear. Regular is the broadest term — it simply means happening at even intervals, whether in music, schedules, or geometry. Steady focuses on continuous evenness without interruption; a machine can run at a steady speed without being rhythmic. Pulsing is more energetic and active, often suggesting a strong, noticeable beat that drives the experience. Cadenced is the most formal option, used mainly in literary or music criticism to describe a measured, flowing rhythm. For everyday descriptions of music, breathing, or dance, rhythmic is the most natural choice. For example: 'Her rhythmic breathing helped her relax' is about a repeating calming pattern, whereas 'her steady breathing' simply means it was even and calm.

regular ↗steady ↗pulsingcadenced

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in a rhythmic way
  • rhythmic pattern of

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Rhythmic comes from the Greek word rhythms (ῥυθμός), meaning 'measured flow or movement.' It passed into Latin as rhythmus, then into French as rythmique, before entering English in the early 1600s. The spelling was later influenced by the Latin root to become rhythmic.