Perfect rhymes and near rhymes
A perfect rhyme matches every sound from the stressed vowel to the end: time / rhyme, na-tion / sta-tion. The near rhymes shown here match the vowel sounds, a pattern called assonance: time / light, love / much. Other kinds of slant rhyme can share consonants instead; this tool searches by vowels.
Sound, not spelling
English spelling is full of traps: love doesn't rhyme with move, while through, blue and shoe do rhyme. This rhyming dictionary compares pronunciations from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, not letters, so eye rhymes stay out and real rhymes come in whatever their spelling.
How the list is sorted
Within each group, words with more matching sounds at the end come first, followed by frequency of use. We leave out simple prefixed forms (view / review, do / undo) and words with identical pronunciations (see / sea) to offer more varied choices. The list filters out names, abbreviations and offensive words, though dictionary filtering can miss some entries.
Tips for rhyming
- Filter by number of syllables to keep the rhythm of the line.
- Use the ending filter to find longer rhymes (-ation, -ight).
- Rhyme different kinds of words, like a noun with a verb: it sounds less predictable.
- Try near rhymes when the perfect ones feel worn out.
Frequently asked questions
What is a perfect rhyme?
Two words rhyme perfectly when every sound matches from the stressed vowel to the end, while the sound before it is different: cat / hat, delight / tonight, nation / station.
What is a near rhyme?
A near rhyme is an imperfect rhyme. This tool finds near rhymes through assonance: matching vowel sounds from the stressed syllable on, as in time / life and home / stone. Slant rhyme can also involve consonant sounds.
Why doesn't love rhyme with move?
Because they only look alike. Love has the vowel of cup and move has the vowel of food. Love rhymes with above, glove and dove.
Does the list include plurals and verb forms?
Yes. Plurals and verb forms like -ing and -ed are included because they are useful in poems and lyrics. The most common words come first in each group.