Phrase guide

free verse

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A poetic form divided into lines of no particular length or meter, without a rhyme scheme.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • Whitman uses free verse to achieve effects impossible under even the broad restrictions of blank verse.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

unrhymed verse without a consistent metrical pattern

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: vers libre

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: poem, verse form

History

Etymology

A calque of French vers libre.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 自由詩 /自由诗 (zìyóushī) — poetic form
  • Finnish: vapaa mitta — poetic form
  • French: vers libre — poetic form
  • Hindi: बेतुका छंद (betukā chand) — poetic form
  • Ido: liberaverso — poetic form
  • Japanese: 自由詩 (jiyūshi) — poetic form
  • Korean: 자유시 (jayusi) — poetic form
  • Māori: ruri māhorahora — poetic form
  • Polish: wiersz wolny — poetic form
  • Russian: верли́бр (verlíbr) — poetic form
  • Russian: бе́лый стих (bélyj stix) — poetic form
  • Tagalog: malayang tula — poetic form
  • Tagalog: malayang taludturan — poetic form
  • Turkish: serbest nazım — poetic form
  • Turkish: serbest şiir — poetic form