Words That Rhyme With "contemporary" — Rhymes for Songwriters & Poets
Contemporary sits in a rich multi-syllabic rhyme family ending in the '-emporary' or '-ary' sound, making it a challenge and a reward for skilled lyricists. It appears frequently in hip-hop, spoken word, and indie pop where artists want to signal cultural awareness or self-positioning within a moment in time. Its emotional weight ranges from neutral observation to pointed social commentary, giving it surprising versatility across genres.
What Rhymes With "contemporary"?
Find rhymes for "contemporary" — or search any word
Famous uses of "contemporary" in music and poetry
My Generation - The Who
The Who positioned their sound as a generational statement, implicitly invoking the idea of being contemporary to their youth culture, using present-tense urgency as a rhyme device.
Alright - Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick layers multi-syllabic end rhymes throughout, reflecting the kind of complex rhyme family that 'contemporary' belongs to, anchoring his verse in the present cultural moment.
The Times They Are A-Changin' - Bob Dylan
Dylan repeatedly signals contemporaneity through thematic framing, pairing time-sensitive imagery with near-rhyme structures that echo the '-ary' sound family.
Frequently asked questions
What rhymes perfectly with contemporary?
Perfect rhymes include temporary, exemplary, complementary, elementary, supplementary, sedimentary, parliamentary, and alimentary. These all share the stressed '-emporary' or '-entary' ending and work best in sophisticated verse, rap, or spoken word where multi-syllabic rhyming is rewarded.
What are near rhymes for contemporary?
Strong near rhymes include ordinary, visionary, legendary, missionary, revolutionary, evolutionary, sanctuary, and commentary. These share the '-ary' ending and can create a flowing, consistent sonic texture in a verse without the strict demands of a perfect rhyme.
What are slant rhymes for contemporary?
Slant rhymes include memory, territory, glory, story, honorary, primary, celebrate, and elaborate. These share partial vowel or consonant sounds and work well in free verse or indie folk where the goal is suggestion rather than strict sonic matching.
How do you use contemporary in a rap song?
In rap, contemporary is best deployed as an internal or end rhyme in a multi-syllabic chain. Pair it with temporary for a sharp couplet about fleeting fame, or stack it against revolutionary and visionary for a political verse. Its six syllables make it a natural anchor for a slow-flow or a double-time breakdown where complexity signals skill.
What is the best rhyme scheme for contemporary in poetry?
An AABB couplet scheme works well - pair contemporary with temporary or exemplary for clean, satisfying end rhymes. Alternatively, use an ABAB scheme where contemporary lands on the B line, giving the listener time to absorb the weight of the word before the rhyme resolves. In free verse, place it mid-stanza as an internal near-rhyme anchor against legendary or visionary.
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