Rhymed

Rhymed is the quality of verse that employs rhyme, the repetition of similar sounds at the ends of lines or within lines. In literary analysis, rhymed verse refers to poetry that follows an identifiable rhyme pattern, in contrast to unrhymed verse (blank verse) and free verse, which do not seek regular rhymes. The term derives from rhyme and the English suffix -ed and has been used since the medieval period to distinguish poetry with a fixed sonic structure from non-rhyming forms.

Rhymed poetry commonly uses schemes such as couplets (aa bb), quatrains (abab, aabb, or abba), and more elaborate arrangements found in sonnets and ballads. End rhyme is most typical, but internal rhymes can also occur within lines. Rhymed verse has been central across many literary traditions, with English poetry particularly developing dense rhyming schemes during the late medieval and Renaissance eras.

In practice, rhymed verse is valued for its musicality, mnemonic aid, and emphasis through matched sounds. Poets may adhere to strict forms, such as the sonnet or villanelle, to explore structure and meaning, or deliberately use near rhymes to soften the effect. In contemporary writing, rhymes remain common in lyric poetry and song lyrics, though many poets blend rhymed sections with free passages to vary pace and mood.

See also: rhyme, meter, form, stanza.