Phonetic match

Rhyme
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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

A rhyme based on close or identical sound correspondence between words

Detailed Definition
Phonetic match describes near-identical sound patterns between words that fall short of perfect rhyme but create auditory resonance—such as assonance, consonance, or slant rhyme—allowing poets to weave subtle sonic textures that support mood without strict metrical obligation.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Through” and “threw” demonstrate phonetic match (homophones) without spelling similarity; Emily Dickinson’s slant rhymes like “room” and “storm” rely on phonetic match of consonants; Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “sprung rhythm” uses phonetic match in alliterative patterns; Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy” uses phonetic match in repetitive “oo” sounds: “do, do, do.”
Additional Notes
Phonetic match includes slant rhyme, assonance, consonance, and homophones—matching sounds without perfect rhyme; Dickinson and Heaney excel at it; enriches texture without strict formal constraints; key in free verse music.
Also Known As
Phonetic echo Sound mirroring Auditory correspondence Sonic twin Equal sound technical rhyme
Skip to main content