cadence

/ˈkeɪdns/ (bre, ipa) · [kˈedəns] /ˈkeɪdns/ (ame, ipa) · [kˈedəns] /ˈkā-dᵊn(t)s How to pronounce cadence (audio)/ (ame, mw)

cadence — noun

  • cadencesingular
  • cadencesplural

1. The pattern of higher and lower sounds that shapes how someone's spoken words mo

1.名詞C1
釋義

The pattern of higher and lower sounds that shapes how someone's spoken words move and sound.

例句

The teacher's calm cadence helped the anxious class listen more carefully.

collocation: calm cadence in spoken delivery

When Sivan read the poem aloud, the cadence made every line sound gentle.

同義詞
  • intonation

    focuses more narrowly on pitch movement, while 'cadence' can include the broader flow of speech

  • rhythm

    is broader and can describe music or movement as well as speech

  • delivery

    covers the whole style of speaking, not just the rise and fall of the voice

文法句型

cadence of + speech/voice

speak with + cadence

用法筆記

Often used when describing how a voice affects mood or meaning rather than what the speaker says. Common with nouns such as 'speech', 'voice', and 'reading'.

常見錯誤

❌Her accent and cadence is very soft.
✅Her accent and cadence are very soft.
💡The subject has two parts, so it needs the plural verb 'are'.

2. A closing chord pattern that shows a musical phrase or piece has reached its end

2.名詞C2
釋義

A closing chord pattern that shows a musical phrase or piece has reached its end.

例句

The choir held the final cadence, and the church fell completely silent.

collocation: final cadence

At the end of the hymn, a soft cadence told everyone the verse was over.

同義詞
  • close

    is broader and can refer to any ending, not specifically a harmonic one

  • resolution

    emphasises the sense of harmonic release rather than the actual chord pattern

文法句型

a cadence at the end of + phrase

end on + cadence

用法筆記

Used in music theory for the harmonic ending of a phrase or section. Distinguish this sense from sense 1, which is about spoken voice, and sense 3, which is about repeated movement.

常見錯誤

❌The song finished with a rhythm.
✅The song finished with a cadence.
💡A 'rhythm' is the beat pattern, but a 'cadence' is the closing musical ending.

3. The repeated rate of steps or pedal turns during steady movement, especially in

3.名詞C1
釋義

The repeated rate of steps or pedal turns during steady movement, especially in running or cycling.

例句

Leo raised his cadence on the hill and kept the bike moving.

collocation: raise cadence while cycling

The coach asked Faisal to shorten his stride and increase his cadence.

pattern: increase cadence in running advice

同義詞
  • rhythm

    is wider in meaning and does not usually give a measurable training rate

  • pace

    usually means overall speed, while 'cadence' focuses on repeated steps or turns

  • turnover

    is an informal sports term, especially for running step frequency

文法句型

increase + cadence

cadence of + number

running/cycling cadence

用法筆記

Most common in training advice for runners and cyclists, often with numbers per minute. Unlike sense 1, this sense measures repeated movement rather than the sound of speech.

常見錯誤

❌My cadence was 90 kilometres per hour.
✅My cadence was 90 revolutions per minute.
💡Cadence measures repeated steps or pedal turns, not speed over distance.