Raleway and Merriweather font pairing
Elegant thin-stroke headings with a robust serif for comfortable paragraphs.
Good pairings feel inevitable. Great ones set the tone before a single word is read.
Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A strong pairing creates clear hierarchy while feeling like one consistent voice across every page. This paragraph is set in Merriweather, while the headline uses Raleway. Numbers like 0123456789, punctuation “quotes” — and ampersands & — reveal a lot about how two typefaces get along.
Look for contrast in structure and harmony in proportion: similar x-heights, compatible widths and a shared sense of rhythm. Bold text and italic text should feel natural, too.
Why this pairing works
A modern twist on the classic: Raleway keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Merriweather's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text. Merriweather ships in 7 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.
HRaleway
Raleway is a free sans serif typeface designed by Matt McInerney, Pablo Impallari and Rodrigo Fuenzalida, added to Google Fonts in 2012. It comes in 9 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with a weight axis.
More pairings for Raleway →BMerriweather
Merriweather is a free serif typeface designed by Sorkin Type, added to Google Fonts in 2011. It comes in 7 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with optical size, width and weight axes.
More pairings for Merriweather →Use this pairing on your website
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Raleway:wght@700&family=Merriweather:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">h1, h2, h3 {
font-family: 'Raleway', sans-serif;
font-weight: 700;
}
body {
font-family: 'Merriweather', serif;
font-weight: 400;
line-height: 1.6;
}More pairings with Raleway
Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.
Brushed-curve serif headings with an elegant, thin-stroked sans.
Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.
Roman-inscription capitals for a classic, upscale feel, with a slender modern sans.
Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.
A classic contrast: EB Garamond's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Raleway's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.
More pairings with Merriweather
Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.
A wide geometric sans for punchy headings and a sturdy screen serif built for long reads.
Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.
Two of the most-read screen fonts on the web — sturdy, safe and highly legible.
Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.
A classic contrast: Merriweather's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Inter's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.
Frequently asked questions
Do Raleway and Merriweather go well together?
A modern twist on the classic: Raleway keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Merriweather's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text. Merriweather ships in 7 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.
Which font should be used for headings?
Use Raleway for headings at weight 700, and Merriweather for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.
Are Raleway and Merriweather free?
Yes — both are open-source fonts on Google Fonts and free for personal and commercial use.