Definition · Plain-language
Consonance
Consonance is the repetition of the same consonant sound in nearby words, frequently at the ends of words.
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How consonance works
Consonance repeats a consonant sound across nearby words, typically at the end of words or in stressed syllables, while the vowels around it differ. In "blank and think", the final "-nk" sound recurs. Because the repeated sound need not fall at the start of a word, consonance is broader than alliteration, which is sometimes described as initial consonance. The effect knits a line together and can reinforce mood: clipped stops such as "t" or "k" feel sharp, while softer sounds such as "m" or "l" feel smooth.
Consonance, assonance and alliteration
These three devices are distinguished by which sounds repeat and where. Consonance repeats consonant sounds anywhere in nearby words. Assonance repeats vowel sounds. Alliteration repeats the initial consonant sounds specifically. So "wild and woolly" is alliteration, "mellow wedding bells" leans on assonance, and "first and last" relies on consonance. Many poets combine them, but identifying the dominant repeated sound — vowel or consonant, initial or otherwise — is the reliable way to name the device at work.
Consonance and half-rhyme
Consonance is the basis of half-rhyme (also called slant rhyme or pararhyme), where the consonants match but the vowels do not, as in "years" and "yours". Poets such as Wilfred Owen used pararhyme deliberately to create unease, since the near-miss of the rhyme feels deliberately unresolved. Beyond poetry, consonance lends prose and slogans a subtle binding music. Like assonance and alliteration, it usually works beneath conscious notice, shaping the reader’s ear and reinforcing the rhythm and tone of a passage without announcing itself.
Key facts
At a glance
- Definition: repetition of consonant sounds in nearby words
- Position: often at the end or middle of words, not just the start
- Example: "the ship has sailed to the far off shores"
- Contrast: assonance repeats vowels; alliteration repeats initial consonants
- Linked form: the basis of half-rhyme (slant rhyme)
- Effect: rhythm, texture and cohesion
Common misconceptions
What people often get wrong
Often heard: Consonance and alliteration are the same thing.
Actually: Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds specifically, whereas consonance repeats consonant sounds anywhere in nearby words — often at the end. Alliteration can be seen as a special, word-initial case of consonance.
Often heard: Consonance repeats whole syllables.
Actually: Consonance repeats consonant sounds, not whole syllables or vowels. When the vowels also match, the result is full rhyme; consonance keeps the vowels different and matches only the consonants.
Often heard: Consonance only matters in poetry.
Actually: While prominent in verse and half-rhyme, consonance also shapes prose rhythm, advertising slogans and memorable phrases, working anywhere sound texture contributes to effect.
Going deeper
