cadence

/ˈkeɪ.dn̩s/noun
High School
1

The act or state of declining or sinking.

2

The measure or beat of movement.

3

Balanced, rhythmic flow.

4

The general inflection or modulation of the voice, or of any sound.

5

A progression of at least two chords which conclude a piece of music, section or musical phrases within it. Sometimes referred to analogously as musical punctuation.

6

A cadenza, or closing embellishment; a pause before the end of a strain, which the performer may fill with a flight of fancy.

7

A fall in inflection of a speaker’s voice, such as at the end of a sentence.

8

A dance move which ends a phrase.

9

The rhythm and sequence of a series of actions.

10

The number of steps per minute.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

Sound Patterns & Rhymes

Alliteration

Words starting with the same consonant sound — used in poetry and prose to create rhythm, emphasis, and memorable phrasing (e.g. “Peter Piper picked”)

Assonance

Words sharing similar vowel sounds regardless of starting letter — creates internal melody in writing

Consonance

Words sharing similar consonant sound patterns — adds texture and cohesion to writing