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Words that rhyme with bugs — 1938 rhymes by quality | Rhyme Land
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the rhymes and the songs that used them

Words that rhyme withbugs

masculine
Masculine this word

Ends on a stressed syllable — a one-syllable rhyme, or a multisyllable word whose primary stress lands last. The rhyme hits the final beat, the way most rhymes in songs do.

Examples

love · dove · today · believe · forgot

Feminine

Ends with an unstressed syllable trailing the stressed one — always at least two syllables. The rhyme lands a beat earlier and trails off softly.

Examples

river · mother · follow · breaking · mountain

Masculine and feminine endings rarely sing together (the rhyme lands on a different beat), so they're kept apart here.

 vowel AH coda G·Z
17
What it is
  1. The syllables' vowel sounds are identical.
  2. The sounds after the vowels (if any) are identical.
  3. The syllables begin differently.
How it feels
  1. Perfect
  2. Family
  3. Additive / Subtractive
  4. Assonance
  5. Consonance
resolvedunresolved
Example

cat / hat — same AE vowel, same T ending

Source
Berklee College of Music's songwriting method (Pat Pattison)
1 syllable
drugs1plugs2slugs2thugs2dugs1chugs1hugs2jugs1lugsmugs2pugsrugs9shrugs1snugstugs
2 syllables
earplugsunplugs
133
What it is
  1. The syllables' vowel sounds are identical.
  2. The sounds after the vowels come from the same phonetic family (e.g. T↔D, P↔B, M↔N).
  3. The syllables begin differently.
How it feels
  1. Perfect
  2. Family
  3. Additive / Subtractive
  4. Assonance
  5. Consonance
resolvedunresolved
Example

cat / pad — AE vowel; T and D are both stops

Family chart
PlosivesFricativesNasals
VoicedbdgvTHzzhjmnng
Unvoicedptkfthsshch

Each column is a family pair — same place + manner, only the voicing differs.

Source
Berklee College of Music's songwriting method (Pat Pattison)
1 syllable
bucks5sucks2clubs3trucks4ducks2cubs2bloods2chucks2floods2flux2tux2bucs1buds1dubs1hubs1pubs1pucks1shrubs1studs1cluckscrudscruxdrubsdudsflubsgrubs1gucks
2 syllables
deluxe2nightclubs1bathtubs1influxlifebloodspotlucksredbudsrefluxroebucks1washtubswoodchucksdoughnuts1abutsbackupsblowupsbuildupsburnupscheckupscleanupscloseupsdonuts1
3 syllables
megabucksbuttercupscocoanutscoconutsfollowupshazelnutsscuttlebuttssupercuts1undercuts
127
What it is
  1. The syllables' vowel sounds are identical.
  2. The sounds after the vowels are identical, with one extra consonant on one side.
  3. The syllables begin differently.
How it feels
  1. Perfect
  2. Family
  3. Additive / Subtractive
  4. Assonance
  5. Consonance
resolvedunresolved
Example

love / loved — extra D on one side

Source
Berklee College of Music's songwriting method (Pat Pattison)
1 syllable
gruntsfunds3blunts2fronts2stunts1bulbs1chumps1chunks1drunks1ducts1dunks1jumps1lumps1monks1pumps1punks1stumps1brunts
2 syllables
results2adults3insults1abductsadjunctsadjusts1affrontsbeloveds1combustsconductsconfrontsconstructsconsultscornhusks
3 syllables
aqueducts1battlefrontsdeconstructsinterrupts2oceanfrontsreadjustsreconstructsself-destructionself-destructswanderlusts2
289
What it is
  1. The syllables' vowel sounds are identical.
  2. The sounds after the vowels are identical, but one side stops one consonant earlier.
  3. The syllables begin differently.
How it feels
  1. Perfect
  2. Family
  3. Additive / Subtractive
  4. Assonance
  5. Consonance
resolvedunresolved
Example

cried / cry — one side missing the final D

Source
Berklee College of Music's songwriting method (Pat Pattison)
1 syllable
love304up307us131of74huh54much87a22the26blood51what29but20touch48stuff34luck37does20cup30rough25cut16tough14shut9club9bus11ugh6truck12judge8stuck9such4rush11drug5mud13butt6plus1buck11yup6suck4duck5crush8hug2dove15flood14bug4chuckbuzz4bud2doug1struck2brush4thus1nut3gus1uhh1shove6gut3pub1dutch3fuss4tub4rubglove8rug9dug2huthush2plug2crutch10bluff9thud1flush2mug2clutch6dah6puff4subgrudge4blush3fuzz3tuck1lush1mush2stud3cuff2jug1muck2pluck2pup2rut1suh1yuck1budge1chug1dub1duh1fluff1grub1gush1huff1
2 syllables
enough124above71makeup5uh-huhdiscussbackupsomewhat1haircut1make-upamok1amuck1donut1foxglove1handcuff1pickup1Pilate1roebuck1setup1teacup1abutabuzzadjudgeawestruckbegrudgeblowupbreakupbuildupburnupcheckupchestnutcleanupclear-cutcloseupdebugdoughnutdumbstruckdyestuffearmuffearplugeggcupfoodstuffgroundnutgrown-upgrownupheads-upholduphookuphumbuglay-upletuplifebloodlineuplinkuplockupmarkupmisjudgemix-upmoonstrucknightclubnonesuchoutdoespaintbrushpileuppooh-bahpotluckprejudgepushuprebuffrebutredbudrounduprunupsagebrushshakeupShemashortcut
3 syllables
supercut1Delacroix1jitterbug1kumbaya1thunderstruck1bottom-upbuttercupcoconutcover-upDepardieufirebugfollow-upfollowuphazelnutladybugminibusoverdoesoverstuffrunner-upscuttlebuttsuperfluoustreasonousunderbrushundercut
4 syllables
maharajas
569
What it is
  1. The syllables' vowel sounds are the same.
  2. The consonants after the vowel are not phonetically related.
  3. The syllables begin differently.
How it feels
  1. Perfect
  2. Family
  3. Additive / Subtractive
  4. Assonance
  5. Consonance
resolvedunresolved
Example

love / dot — both AH, but V and T have nothing in common

Assonance rhymes always have consonants after the vowels, but the consonants cannot be phonetically related.

Source
Berklee College of Music's songwriting method (Pat Pattison)
1 syllable
one197sun174done173and41come105run93son79fun81gun67from46young55comes23some32once20trust34tongue28dust35none23won24loved12ones15just9dumb21must15guns17front8drunk10lunch10jump4months3drum20month5loves4bunch5mum3bust12punch5sons5lungs12trunk11runs3touched3skull3hung5bum4hunt1pulse4dump2drums11sung10jumped2punk4junk4monk3gloves1dumped2thumb9lust9pump2gum2crushed4fund1sucked5lung3tons1ton1sum2numb10rust13scum1bump1stuffed2tongues6dull1hum8dusk6kungnun5rum4stunt1doves5dum3funk4hull2bun3crunch5blunt4rump4hunch3cult1rung3strum2
2 syllables
someone33become17begun32amongundone18becomes17resultbeloved1adult1insultgrandson1shotgun3amongstdiscussed2income1destruct2corrupt1adjust1outcome2engulfed2seagull3handcuffs1breadcrumbs1distrust2grandsons1manhunt1shotguns2unloved2foxgloved1foxgloves1handcuffed1handgun1handguns1mistrust1outrun1seagulls1stardust1stepson1untouched1consultabductaboves71abruptadjudgedadjunctaffrontbegrudgedblowgunblowgunsbreadcrumbcombustconfrontconstructcornhuskdebuggeddebunkdebunkeddeductdefunctdisgustdisruptdivulgedivulgeddyestuffsearfulearfulsearmuffsencrustengulfengulfsenoughs124entrusteruptexpunge
3 syllables
everyone42anyone21interrupt2overcome4aqueduct1wanderlust2conjurer1overdone1waterfront1antitrustbattlefrontcatapultconjurers1counterpunchdeconstructfisticuffshit-and-runjitterbuggedmegatonmegatonsoceanfrontovercomes4overrunoverrunsoverstuffedoverstuffsreadjustreconstructself-destructSuperfundunequaled
808
What it is
  1. The syllables' vowel sounds are different.
  2. The sounds after the vowels are identical.
  3. The syllables begin differently.
How it feels
  1. Perfect
  2. Family
  3. Additive / Subtractive
  4. Assonance
  5. Consonance
resolvedunresolved
Example

love / live — both end in V; AH versus IH

Source
Berklee College of Music's songwriting method (Pat Pattison)
1 syllable
words54kids37legs17clouds22heads21birds15needs11woods11dogs9bags10sides16gods13eggs7jobs7roads11leads3odds6pigs5goods2beds7dudes8lads1rides12seeds7sobs2weeds9Gibbsloads3boobsdeeds5ribs2blades7crowds5rags7aids1reads1fades6codes2feds1flags4reeds5shades5shreds4grades8meds1beads3bleeds3breeds3broads3dregs3fags3jags2spades2tags2tribes3braids1drags2foods2glades2herbs1hides2moods2rigs2thirds2threads1tides2ads1babes1bids1bogs1bribes1cogs1cubes1deads1dreads1fads1feuds1fibs1fobs1guides1hoods1
2 syllables
besides1comrades1crossroads3eyelids5decides19decades1hillsides3parades4subsides3backsides2divides1grenades1insides2abides1applauds1arcades1backwoods1betides1bluebirds1bridesmaids1bullfrogs1collides1crosswords1explodes1foreheads1includes1intrudes1mermaids1precedes1preludes1provides1redwoods1resides1sandbags1abodesabradesabsurds8accedesairheadsairspeedsallgoodsalludesamidesandroids1anodesascribesasides7avoids2azidesbacklogsbackslides1balladesbathrobesbeachheadsbedsides3bedspreads1beechwoodsbeheadsbigwigsbirdseeds
3 syllables
palisades3hummingbirds3mockingbirds1accolades1attitudes1countrysides1episodes1genocides1lemonades1multitudes1promenades1actinidesadenoidsadulthoods1alkaloidsaltitudes1amplitudesamyloidsanaerobesanalogs2analoguesaniseedsaptitudes1arrowheadsarsenidesarthropodsasteroids2babyhoodsbarricades1brotherhoodscatalogues1cavalcades1celluloidscentipedes1certitudesclassifiedscoincidescolonnadescopperheadscottonseeds
4 syllables
brachiopodscephalopodsdaminozidesexactitudesformaldehydes1ineptitudesinfanticides1insecticidesnucleotidespolyamidessolicitudessuperoxidesthalidomidesthingamabobstriglycerides
5 syllables
corticosteroidsmonosaccharidespolysaccharides
6 syllables
verisimilitudes
6
What it is
  1. The syllables' vowel sounds are identical.
  2. The sounds after the vowels (if any) are identical.
  3. The syllables begin the same — repetition, not a rhyme.
How it feels

Off the rhyme scale — identity is repetition, not resolution. Shown so you can spot it, not reach for it.

Example

fuse / confuse — both stressed syllables are 'fuse'

Source
Berklee College of Music's songwriting method (Pat Pattison)
2 syllables
debugshumbugsbedbugs
3 syllables
firebugsjitterbugs1ladybugs

“bugs” at line end — from real songs

I'm allergic to flowers and bugsAnd I'm addicted to a thousand drugs
— Phil Ochs, “Draft Dodger Rag” · rhymes bugs / drugs

How to read the 1938 results

Tiers follow Pat Pattison's stability scale — pick the resolution your line needs, not just the closest sound. Bold words are common in lyrics; a struck-through word with a cliché flag is an overworked pair; a vermilion dot counts how often the pair appears at line end in our corpus of real songs.

Perfect rhyme 17
Same stressed vowel, same sounds after it, different beginning. Full resolution — the strongest closure a rhyme can give a line.
Family rhyme 133
The consonants after the vowel are swapped for phonetic siblings — T↔D, M↔N, S↔Z. Nearly as stable as perfect rhyme, with far more word choices.
Additive 127
Same vowel, but one word carries an extra consonant after the shared ending. The added sound softens the landing slightly.
Subtractive 287
Same vowel, but one word stops a consonant early. A slightly clipped, softer resolution than perfect rhyme.
Assonance 566
Only the stressed vowel matches; the consonants after it are unrelated. Loose and open — useful when a section should stay unresolved.
Consonance 808
The vowels differ but the ending consonants match. The faintest echo of all — texture rather than closure.
Identity 6
The whole stressed syllable repeats, beginning included. That's repetition, not rhyme — the line echoes instead of resolving.