What does sibilance mean?

Sibilance can also include more than just ‘s’ sounds. Many people believe that sibilance includes any letter groups that create a hissing sound, including repeated "sh," "th," "f," "z," and "v" sounds. What is Sibilance?

What sounds can be used to create sibilance?

Some people think that other sounds can be used to create sibilance, including "sh," "th," "f," "z," and "v" sounds. More details on this below. There are a few important details to understand about sibilance. Sibilance is about the repetition of the "s" sound, not about the repetition of the letter S. This is important for two reasons.

How does Blake use sibilance?

Blake makes heavy use of sibilance in this poem, especially the “s” sound, as in the bold words. In a similar way, the use of “sh” and “ch” sounds in the words “shade” and “chase” gives softer effects. For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells .”

Where can I find sibilance?

Sibilance can be found in all types of writing, but it's most common in poetry and song lyrics. In the examples below, we highlight all the sibilant S's in green.