WordValeenjambment
running a sentence past the end of a line of verse
In more detail
1. (noun) the continuation of a sentence or phrase beyond the end of a line in poetry, without a pause or punctuation mark
2. (noun) the carrying over of a grammatical structure from one line or couplet to the next in verse
Examples
- 1. In the poem, the first line ends without punctuation and the thought continues into the next line—that is an example of enjambment.
- 2. The poet used enjambment to create a flowing, natural rhythm that mimics everyday speech.
How to use enjambment
Enjambment is a technical term used in literary analysis and poetry criticism to describe a deliberate poetic device. It refers to when a poet breaks a line in the middle of a thought or grammatical unit, forcing readers to continue to the next line. This technique creates specific rhythmic or thematic effects that differ from end-stopped lines, and is frequently discussed when analyzing modern and contemporary poetry.
Common phrases
- use enjambment
- examples of enjambment
- employ enjambment
- enjambment effect
- create enjambment
Synonyms
run-on line · line-break · carryover
Word family
enjamb (verb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse enjambment with line breaks in general; enjambment specifically requires that the grammatical or syntactic pause does not align with the line ending.
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