cadence

[keyd-ns]

noun

1. rhythmic flow of a sequence of sounds or words.

   the cadence of language.

2. (in free verse) a rhythmic pattern that is nonmetrically structured.

3. the beat, rate, or measure of any rhythmic movement.

   The chorus line danced in rapid cadence.

   Synonyms: meter, rhythm, pulse, tempo

4. the flow or rhythm of events, especially the pattern in which something is experienced.

   the frenetic cadence of modern life.

5. a slight falling in pitch of the voice in speaking or reading, as at the end of a declarative sentence.

6. the general modulation of the voice.

7. Music.,  a sequence of notes or chords that indicates the momentary or complete end of a composition, section, phrase, etc.

verb (used with object)

cadenced, cadencing 

1. to make rhythmical.

cadence

/ ˈkeɪdəns /

noun

1. the beat or measure of something rhythmic

2. a fall in the pitch of the voice, as at the end of a sentence

3. modulation of the voice; intonation

4. a rhythm or rhythmic construction in verse or prose; measure

5. the close of a musical phrase or section

Word History and Origins

Origin of cadence¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Italian cadenza cadenza

Word History and Origins

Origin of cadence¹

C14: from Old French, from Old Italian cadenza, literally: a falling, from Latin cadere to fall

Example Sentences

I love his cadence, his hustle, his freedom, his words, his confidence and the s— go hard.

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A Vandenberg spokesperson said the base expects to maintain “a steady space and test-launch cadence for the remainder of the year” but couldn’t provide exact figures.

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This season has had an unusual cadence of episodes, with the first two arriving on a weekly schedule, then biweekly before the arrival of Episode 5, which aired three weeks later on Wednesday.

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With Raymond, I found myself responding not only to the rhythm and cadence of his voice, but to the emotional delivery of his words, the space between them, the way they hung in the air.

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He speaks with an athlete’s guardedness, too, that post-game interview cadence where each wooden sentence tries to bore the camera into leaving them alone.

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Related Words

• accent 
• inflection 
• intonation 
• lilt 
• tempo