Home Dictionary Eenjambment

enjambment

The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza in poetry.

Noun

pl: enjambments

This term is primarily used in literary criticism and poetic analysis to describe a specific structural technique. It creates a tension between the visual break of the line and the grammatical flow of the sentence, often used to mimic natural speech or to accelerate the pace of a poem.

In academic writing, it is frequently contrasted with "end-stopping," where a line concludes with a punctuation mark. While "enjambment" is a technical term, it is used across various registers of literary discussion, from introductory poetry courses to advanced scholarly monographs.

Meanings

Noun

The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza in poetry.

The poet uses enjambment to create a sense of urgency and forward motion in the verse.

Examples

The professor explained how enjambment creates a sense of urgency in the poem.

School Life

I wonder if the poet used enjambment here to mimic the flow of a river.

Look at how the sentence spills over the line break through enjambment.

School Life

The use of enjambment disrupts the expected rhythm of the stanza.

Does this poem rely more on end stopping or enjambment?

School Life

The sudden enjambment at the end of the verse creates a startling effect.

She analyzed the enjambment to uncover the hidden tension in the text.

The poet employs enjambment to keep the reader moving quickly to the next line.

This specific instance of enjambment emphasizes the word at the start of the following line.

Last Updated: May 2026•Report an Error