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Final rhyme

Rhyme
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Rhyme occurring at the end of poetic lines, forming the backbone of many traditional rhyme schemes and stanzaic structures.

Detailed Definition
Rhyme occurring at the ends of verse lines, creating sound correspondence between line endings. Also called end rhyme or line-end rhyme, this is the most common rhyme position in English verse. Final rhyme establishes rhyme schemes (ABAB, AABB, etc.), creates aural patterns, links lines structurally, and provides closure and satisfaction through sound repetition. Contrasts with internal rhyme occurring within lines and is fundamental to most traditional verse forms.
Example
Example in poetry:
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 ends with “So long lives this, and this gives life to thee”—final rhyme asserting poetic immortality; Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death” ends with “Eternity”—final rhyme on timelessness; Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy” ends with “through”—final rhyme on liberation; Gwendolyn Brooks’s “We Real Cool” ends with “soon”—final rhyme on mortality; Lucille Clifton’s “won’t you celebrate with me” ends with “me”—final rhyme on self-affirmation; Ocean Vuong’s “Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong” ends with “afraid”—final rhyme on vulnerability.
Additional Notes
Most common rhyme position in English verse. Also called end rhyme. Distinguishes from internal rhyme and creates predictable sound pattern establishing form.
Also Known As
End rhyme Terminal rhyme Verse-end correspondence Closing rhyme Culminating rhyme Teleuton
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