poetic license

American  

noun

1. license or liberty taken by a poet, prose writer, or other artist in deviating from rule, conventional form, logic, or fact, in order to produce a desired effect.

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poetic license Idioms  

1. Also, artistic license. The liberty taken by a writer or artist in deviating from conventional form or fact to achieve an effect. For example, I've never seen grass or a tree of that color; but that's artistic license. [Late 1700s]

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Etymology

Origin of poetic license

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

But that’s just poetic license and, of course, perfectly acceptable.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 27, 2025

Rachel Syme’s foreword to the musical book says that this version of “Ironic” turns it into “an inside joke about poetic license and grammatical errors.”

From Salon • Nov. 29, 2024

“Bedewed it with his tears and bid to it an everlasting adieu” is the stuff of poetic license and bad poetry.

From Slate • Nov. 28, 2024

“It’s a little bit of poetic license there,” Vicki said.

From Washington Post • Mar. 19, 2023

Mr. Underwood said, “Cows don’t go to heaven,” to which Mrs. E.C.B. replied, “This one did,” and explained poetic license.

From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee