free verse

[ free vurs ]

noun

, Prosody.

1. verse that does not follow a fixed metrical pattern.

free verse

noun

1. unrhymed verse without a metrical pattern

free verse

1. Verse without regular meter or rhyme . Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman , is written almost entirely in free verse.

Other Words From

• free-ver·si·fi·er [free, -, vur, -s, uh, -fahy-er], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of free verse¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

It spans 22 panels, down which Cendrars’s free verse runs in 30 different typefaces.

From New York Times

But according to Anderson’s free verse, “We never made a ‘sex tape.’

From Los Angeles Times

During the session, participants were prompted to describe vivid paintings and photographs through spoken word; each of my peers shared intimate writing samples that took place in free verse, rap and song.

From Seattle Times

Short chapters presented in free verse make this an easy book to read, though it’s the most sober of the three under review, thanks to the more realistic career of its protagonist.

From New York Times

When raw veggies were served I have often observed That the crudites flew in free verse.

From Washington Post