Beginner's Guide to Rhyming: How to Write Better Rhymes (Without Sounding Corny)

Let's be honest: rhyming sounds simple until you actually try to do it well. Sure, anyone can match "cat" with "hat." But writing rhymes that don't make people cringe? That takes a bit more thought.

Here's the thing though. Rhyming isn't some mysterious talent you're born with. It's a skill. And like any skill, you can get better at it with practice and the right approach.

Why Rhyming Matters (More Than You Think)

Rhymes do something weird to our brains. They make words stick. Think about it. You probably still remember nursery rhymes from when you were three years old. That's not an accident.

When sounds repeat in a pattern, our brains latch onto them. It's why advertising jingles are so annoyingly memorable. It's why song lyrics stay with us for decades while we forget what we had for lunch yesterday.

But here's where it gets interesting for songwriters: rhymes aren't just memory tricks. They create a sense of completion. When a listener hears a rhyme land, there's this little hit of satisfaction. The pattern was set up, and it paid off. That feeling keeps people engaged with your music.

The Different Flavors of Rhyme

Not all rhymes work the same way. Understanding your options gives you more tools to play with.

Perfect Rhymes (The Obvious Ones)

These are your classic end-of-line matches. "Love" and "above." "Night" and "fight." "Heart" and "start." The sounds match exactly.

Perfect rhymes are reliable. They're easy for listeners to catch. But lean on them too hard and your lyrics start sounding like a greeting card. You know the type. "Roses are red, violets are blue..." Yeah. Don't do that.

Slant Rhymes (The Subtle Ones)

Also called near rhymes or half rhymes. These words don't match perfectly, but they're close enough that your ear accepts them.

"Home" and "stone." "Love" and "enough." "Eyes" and "light."

Slant rhymes are incredibly useful because they open up way more word options. They also sound less predictable, which keeps your lyrics from feeling forced. Some of the best songwriters (Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Kendrick Lamar) use slant rhymes constantly.

Internal Rhymes (The Hidden Ones)

Who said rhymes have to land at the end of a line? Internal rhymes happen in the middle, and they add this rolling, rhythmic quality that's hard to beat.

Take this line: "I spit fire, live wire, entire empire's in my hand."

Fire, wire, entire. All landing in the middle of the line, creating momentum. This technique is huge in hip-hop, but it works in any genre.

Multisyllabic Rhymes (The Impressive Ones)

This is where things get fun. Instead of matching just one syllable, you match two, three, or even more.

"Supernatural" and "flat to roll." "Orange" and... okay, that one's still tough. But "door hinge" gets pretty close.

Eminem built a whole career on stacking multisyllabic rhymes. "His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy / There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti." Those three-syllable matches (heavy/sweaty/spaghetti) hit different than simple one-syllable rhymes.

Common Mistakes That Kill Your Rhymes

Let's talk about what not to do. Because honestly, bad rhyming habits are hard to unlearn once they set in.

Forcing It

We've all heard lyrics where the writer clearly picked a word just because it rhymed, not because it made sense. The sentence twists into some unnatural shape just to land on that rhyme. Don't do this. If you can't find a rhyme that fits naturally, try a different approach. Change the first line. Use a slant rhyme. Or just don't rhyme that particular spot.

Being Too Predictable

If I say "above," you think "love." If I say "fire," you think "desire." These rhymes are so overused that listeners practically hear them coming a mile away. Sometimes that's fine. But if every rhyme in your song is obvious, it starts to feel lazy.

Mix in some unexpected choices. Use slant rhymes. Throw in a multisyllabic match where people expect a simple one.

Rhyming Just to Rhyme

Not every line needs to rhyme. Seriously. Some of the most powerful moments in songs come from breaking the pattern. A section of unrhymed lines can create tension. Then when the rhyme finally lands, it hits even harder.

Ignoring Rhythm

A rhyme that doesn't land on the beat is a wasted rhyme. Your rhyming words need to hit at strong rhythmic points for the effect to work. If your rhyme is buried in a weak syllable or tucked into an odd spot, listeners won't even notice it.

How to Actually Get Better at Rhyming

Okay, enough theory. Here's how to improve.

Read Your Lyrics Out Loud

Always. Every time. What looks good on paper might sound clunky when spoken. Reading aloud exposes forced rhymes, awkward rhythms, and places where the flow breaks down.

Build a Rhyme Vocabulary

Start noticing rhymes in everything you hear. Songs, podcasts, conversations. When you catch a good rhyme, file it away mentally. The more rhyme pairs you have stored up, the faster you'll be at finding them when you're writing.

Practice With Constraints

Give yourself weird challenges. Write a verse where every line ends with an "-ation" word. Or try writing eight bars using only slant rhymes. These exercises force you to think creatively and expand your options.

Use Tools (No Shame in It)

Here's where I'll mention Lazyjot, because honestly it makes this whole process way smoother.

The rhyme highlighter shows you patterns as you write. You can see at a glance which words are matching up and where your rhyme scheme might have gaps. The syllable counter helps you keep your rhythm consistent. And the multisyllabic rhyme finder? It's genuinely useful for those moments when you need a complex rhyme but can't think of one.

You're still writing the lyrics. You're still making the creative choices. The tool just removes some of the friction.

A Quick Exercise to Try Right Now

Grab a random word. Let's say "window."

First, list the obvious rhymes: "wind blow," maybe? That's tough. "Window" isn't an easy one.

Now try slant rhymes. "Into." "Tempo." "Mental." Not perfect matches, but close enough.

Now try building a multisyllabic chain. "Thin coat." "Skin tone." "Been home." You're matching the "in" and "oh" sounds without needing an exact match.

See how many options open up when you stop limiting yourself to perfect rhymes?

The Bottom Line

Good rhyming is about choices. Knowing your options. Picking the right tool for the moment. Sometimes that's a perfect rhyme that lands clean and satisfying. Sometimes it's a slant rhyme that surprises the listener. Sometimes it's breaking the pattern entirely.

The more you understand how rhymes work, the more intentional your choices become. And intentional choices are what separate forgettable lyrics from the ones that stick with people.

Now stop reading and go write something.