assonant

Sharing vowel sounds

Assonant describes sounds that share vowel qualities while differing in consonants.

In poetry and prose, assonant words create subtle echoes through repeated vowel sounds: The long "o" sounds in "go slow over the road" are assonant.

The technique is called assonance—a form of near-rhyme that unifies lines without the full chime of perfect rhyme.

poetic

alliteration

Matching initial consonants

vowelUnobstructed speech sound
rhymeMatching terminal sounds
half-rhymePartial sound correspondence

repetition · meter · cadence · verse · sonnet · prosody · versification · stanza · lyric · diction

phonetic

vowel

Unobstructed speech sound

phoneticsStudy of speech sounds
phonologyScience of language sounds
intonationPitch variation in speech

stress · accentuation · inflection · syllable · articulation · pronunciation · sonority · homophony · vocalization · tongue

euphony

Pleasant arrangement of sounds

melodyPleasing sequence of notes
harmonyAgreement or musical blend
musicalitySensitivity to tune, rhythm

mellifluous · cadence · flow · lilt · rhythm · sweetness · smoothness · fluency · dulcet · lyrical

Opposites

vowel sound correspondence

assonantdissonant

Lacking harmonic agreement

consonant · discordant · cacophonous · unrhymed · rhymeless

sonic harmony in verse

assonantdissonant

Lacking harmonic agreement

cacophonous · discordant · jarring · harsh · unmusical

type of sound repetition

assonantconsonant

In agreement with

alliterative · consonantal · rhyming · perfect rhyme · unmusical

Family

assonance, assonances

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Rated G