poetical
gb/poʊˈɛtɪkəl/ us/poʊˈɛtɪkəl/
B2
English
~ 25700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
literary
B2
relation
1
relating to poetry or poets
About poetry or the work of poets.
Usage pattern:
[something] is poetical / poetical [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "poetical" instead of the more natural modern word "poetic" in most cases. In everyday English, "poetic" is usually better: say "poetic works" or simply "poems" rather than "poetical works" unless you specifically want an old-fashioned or very literary tone.
Synonyms
poetic (More common modern adjective; neutral in style, while "poetical" sounds older or more literary.)
|
verse (Used attributively (e.g. "verse drama"); more technical and specific to writing in lines of poetry.)
Antonyms
prosaic (Describes writing or style that is plain or like prose, not connected with poetry.)
Collocations
poetical works
|poetical drama
|poetical diction
|poetical tradition
|poetical writings
|poetical anthology
Themes
literature
|art
|arts_entertainment
|education
|communication
Examples
- The collection brings together all of her early poetical works.
- He wrote a detailed history of English poetical traditions in the nineteenth century.
- Several of his poetical writings were first published in small literary magazines.
- The course will focus on Milton’s poetical career, not his political life.
- Her poetical drama was praised for blending theatre and verse in an original way.
Learner examples
- The book contains his poetical works from 1990 to 2000.
- She is famous for her poetical writings for children.
- We studied the poetical language of Shakespeare in class.
- He gave a talk on modern poetical traditions.
- This library has many old poetical books.
adjective
literary
C1
property
2
beautifully imaginative like poetry
Very beautiful and full of strong feelings or imagination, in a way that is like poetry.
Usage pattern:
poetical [noun] / [something] is poetical
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "poetical" with "poetic" here as well. In modern English, "poetic" is usually preferred ("poetic language", "poetic description"). "Poetical" sounds more old-fashioned or deliberately literary, so it is best used in formal writing or criticism.
Synonyms
lyrical (Stresses strong emotion and musical, flowing language; slightly more common in modern criticism.)
|
romantic (Suggests idealized, emotional beauty, but can also refer to a historical movement or love stories.)
Antonyms
matter-of-fact (Describes language or behaviour that is plain, practical, and not at all imaginative or emotional.)
Collocations
poetical language
|poetical description
|poetical imagination
|poetical vision
|poetical sensibility
|poetical mood
Themes
art
|emotion
|literature
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|education
Examples
- Her travel writing has a quiet, poetical beauty that stays with you.
- The director created a poetical mood through slow camera movements and soft light.
- He gave a poetical description of the city at dawn, full of colour and sound.
- There is something deeply poetical about the way the film shows everyday life.
- The landscape inspired him to write in a more poetical and reflective style.
Learner examples
- The movie is very poetical and slow.
- She uses poetical language to talk about the sea.
- His letter to her was simple but very poetical.
- The music has a soft, poetical feeling.
- I like the poetical style of this writer.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
overly romantic or flowery in style
Too romantic or pretty in style, so that it does not seem real or natural.
Usage pattern:
[something] is (too) poetical / a poetical [statement/style]
Common mistake:
Learners may think "poetical" is always positive. In reviews or criticism, it can be mildly negative, implying that the style is too romantic, emotional, or not realistic enough.
Synonyms
flowery (Suggests language that is too fancy or emotional; a common mild criticism.)
|
sentimental (Emphasizes excessive emotion more than decorative language.)
Antonyms
plain (Language that is simple and direct, without decoration or strong emotion.)
Collocations
a bit too poetical
|overly poetical
|sound poetical
|rather poetical
|poetical style
|poetical tone
Themes
literature
|evaluation
|emotion
|communication
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- His account of the battle is a little too poetical to be completely trustworthy.
- The ending feels poetical rather than realistic, but some readers may enjoy that.
- Critics complained that her speech sounded poetical and vague instead of clear.
- The book’s poetical style sometimes gets in the way of the story.
- To modern ears, his poetical language can seem old-fashioned and overly romantic.
Learner examples
- The film is beautiful but a bit too poetical for me.
- His letter was so poetical that it did not feel honest.
- Some students think the writer’s style is too poetical and hard to understand.
- Her speech sounded poetical, but it did not say much.
- The story has a poetical ending that is not very real.
Grammar
Dictionary form
poetical
IPA
GB/poʊˈɛtɪkəl/
US/poʊˈɛtɪkəl/
Syllables & stress
po - et - ic - al (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (et)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: poetical
Word family
Expressions
poetical justice
1/poʊˈɛtɪkəl d͡ʒˈʌstɪs/
idiom
literary
punishment that neatly fits the crime
A situation where someone is punished in a way that is very suitable or ironic, matching what they did wrong.
Examples
- It was a kind of poetical justice when the corrupt mayor was exposed by his own lies.
- There is poetical justice in the thief being robbed by his partner in crime.
- The film ends with a moment of poetical justice that satisfies the audience.
poetical works
1/poʊˈɛtɪkəl wˈɚks/
fixed phrase
literary
a writer’s poems and verse
The poems and other writing in verse by a writer.
Examples
- The library has a complete edition of his poetical works.
- In this volume her poetical works are printed together with her letters.