List of closed pairs of English rhyming words
This page has a list of closed pairs of English rhyming words—in each pair, both words rhyme with each other and only with each other.
Monosyllabic pairs
Disyllabic pairs
Trochaic pairs
In a trochaic pair, each word is a trochee, with the first syllable stressed and the second syllable unstressed.
Trochaic-or-iambic pairs
In an trochaic-or-iambic pair, each word can be either a trochee (stressed on the first syllable) or an iamb (stressed on the second syllable).
- contract, entr'acte
- discount, miscount
- sunlit, unlit
- thereby, whereby
- therein, wherein
- thereof, whereof
- therewith, wherewith
Iambic pairs
In an iambic pair, each word is an iamb and has the first syllable unstressed and the second syllable stressed.
- barrage, garage
- chorale, morale
- eclipsed, ellipsed
- gyrate, irate
- henceforth, thenceforth
- Koran, Oran
- purvey, survey
Trisyllabic pairs
Dactylic pairs
In a dactylic pair, each word is an dactyl and has the first syllable stressed and the second and third syllables unstressed.
- banister, canister
- bestial, celestial
- brilliant, resilient
- collier, jollier
- creepier, sleepier
- devious, previous
- Everest, cleverest
- fealty, realty
- gradient, radiant
- javelin, ravelin
- loyalty, royalty
- medium, tedium
Amphibrachic pairs
In an amphibrachic pair, each word is an amphibrach and has the second syllable stressed and the first and third syllables unstressed.
- attainder, remainder
- autumnal, columnal
- cadaver, palaver
- concoction, decoction
- distinguish, extinguish
- farrago, Chicago
- pneumatic, rheumatic
Anapestic pairs
In an anapestic pair, each word is an anapest and has the first and second syllables unstressed and the third syllable stressed.
At this time, no anapestic pairs have been found. The pair "uneclipsed, unellipsed" is disqualified because uneclipsed also rhymes with ellipsed, and because unellipsed also rhymes with eclipsed.
Tetrasyllabic pairs
- beautifully, dutifully
- copulated, populated
- culminated, fulminated
- dedicated, medicated
- deifying, reifying
- delegated, relegated
- generated, venerated
- germinated, terminated
- lacerated, macerated
- lecherously, treacherously
Asymmetric pairs
In an asymmetric pair, the words differ in number of syllables. Each pair is in a subsection according to the respective numbers of syllables in the words when they are in alphabetical order.
Disyllabic-and-trisyllabic pairs
Trisyllabic-and-disyllabic pairs
Trisyllabic-and-tetrasyllabic pairs
Tetrasyllabic-and-trisyllabic pairs
Pentasyllabic-and-tetrasyllabic pairs
See also
External links
- RhymeZone rhyming dictionary and thesaurus
- Merriam-Webster's Word Central
- RhymeBrain Rhyming Dictionary. Easy to read on your phone.
- Rhymes.net
- Category:English rhymes - Wiktionary