Definition

1. Noun:
   • A quality of expressing deep personal emotion or enthusiasm in an unrestrained, often exaggerated, manner: This sense refers to an effusive, passionate, or intensely emotional quality in expression, especially in writing or speech.
   • The quality of being musical, melodious, or suitable for singing: This sense refers to the lyrical, song-like quality of language, poetry, or music.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Emotional Expression):

  • The lyricism of her love letters moved him deeply. (The unrestrained emotional expression in her love letters moved him deeply.)
  • His speech was criticized for its excessive lyricism, lacking practical substance. (His speech was criticized for its exaggerated enthusiasm, lacking practical substance.)

• Noun (Musical/Song-like Quality):

  • The lyricism of the poem made it easy to set to music. (The poem's song-like quality made it easy to set to music.)
  • Critics praised the novel for its poetic lyricism. (Critics praised the novel for its poetic and melodious quality.)

Advanced Usage

• "Sheer lyricism": Used to emphasize an exceptionally pure, emotional, or musical quality.
  • The passage was one of sheer lyricism, capturing the beauty of the landscape perfectly.
• "Romantic lyricism": Often describes the intense, personal emotional expression characteristic of Romantic art and literature.
  • The composer's early works are filled with Romantic lyricism.

Variants and Related Words

• Lyric (adj/n): (Adj.) Expressing the writer's personal emotions, often in a song-like way. (N.) The words of a song; a short poem expressing personal emotion.
  • She is a gifted lyric poet.
  • He writes the lyrics for the band.
• Lyrical (adj): Having the qualities of lyric poetry; expressing personal emotion in a beautiful, song-like way.
  • Her description of the sunset was beautifully lyrical.
• Lyricist (n): A person who writes the words for songs.
  • He is the lyricist for several famous musicals.

Synonyms

• Emotionalism: Excessive or exaggerated emotion.
• Effusiveness: The expression of feelings in an unrestrained, heartfelt way.
• Musicality: The quality of being melodious or pleasant-sounding.
• Poeticism: A poetic quality or style.

Antonyms

• Austerity: Sternness or severity of manner or attitude; lack of emotional expression.
• Prosaicness: The quality of being commonplace, unromantic, or dull.
• Restraint: Moderation or self-control; holding back emotional expression.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• "To lapse into lyricism": To begin speaking or writing in an unexpectedly or characteristically emotional, poetic manner.
  • Whenever he spoke of his homeland, he would lapse into lyricism.

Noun

1. unrestrained and exaggerated enthusiasm
2. the property of being suitable for singing