Word for figure of speech

Definition of Figure of Speech

A figure of speech is a word or phrase that is used in a non-literal way to create an effect. This effect may be rhetorical as in the deliberate arrangement of words to achieve something poetic, or imagery as in the use of language to suggest a visual picture or make an idea more vivid. Overall, figures of speech function as literary devices because of their expressive use of language. Words are used in other ways than their literal meanings or typical manner of application.

For example, Margaret Atwood utilizes figures of speech in her poem “you fit into me” as a means of achieving poetic meaning and creating a vivid picture for the reader.

you fit into me

like a hook into an eye

a fish hook

an open eye

The simile in the first two lines sets forth a comparison between the way “you” fits into the poet like a hook and eye closure for perhaps a garment. This is an example of rhetorical effect in that the wording carefully achieves the idea of two things meant to connect to each other. In the second two lines, the wording is clarified by adding “fish” to “hook” and “open” to “eye,” which calls forth an unpleasant and even violent image. The poet’s descriptions of hooks and eyes are not meant literally in the poem. Yet the use of figurative language allows the poet to express two very different meanings and images that enhance the interpretation of the poem through contrast.

Types of Figures of Speech

The term figure of speech covers a wide range of literary devices, techniques, and other forms of figurative language, a few of which include:

• Simile
• Metaphor
• Personification
• Paradox
• Understatement
• Metonymy
• Apostrophe
• Hyperbole
• Synecdoche
• Irony
• Pun
• Euphemism
• Epigram
• Oxymoron
• Antithesis
• Litotes
• Alliteration
• Onomatopoeia
• Circumlocution
• Pleonasm

Common Examples of Figures of Speech Used in Conversation

Many people use figures of speech in conversation as a way of clarifying or emphasizing what they mean. Here are some common examples of conversational figures of speech:

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that utilizes extreme exaggeration to emphasize a certain quality or feature.

• I have a million things to do.
• This suitcase weighs a ton.
• This room is an ice-box.
• I’ll die if he doesn’t ask me on a date.
• I’m too poor to pay attention.

Understatement

Understatement is a figure of speech that invokes less emotion than would be expected in reaction to something. This downplaying of reaction is a surprise for the reader and generally has the effect of showing irony.

• I heard she has cancer, but it’s not a big deal.
• Joe got his dream job, so that’s not too bad.
• Sue won the lottery, so she’s a bit excited.
• That condemned house just needs a coat of paint.
• The hurricane brought a couple of rain showers with it.

Paradox

A paradox is a figure of speech that appears to be self-contradictory but actually reveals something truthful.

• You have to spend money to save it.
• What I’ve learned is that I know nothing.
• You have to be cruel to be kind.
• Things get worse before they get better.
• The only rule is to ignore all rules.

Pun

A pun is a figure of speech that contains a “play” on words, such as using words that mean one thing to mean something else or words that sound alike in as a means of changing meaning.

• A sleeping bull is called a bull-dozer.
• Baseball players eat on home plates.
• Polar bears vote at the North Poll.
• Fish are smart because they travel in schools.
• One bear told another that life without them would be grizzly.

Oxymoron

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that connects two opposing ideas, usually in two-word phrases, to create a contradictory effect.

• open secret
• Alone together
• true lies
• controlled chaos
• pretty ugly

Common Examples of Figure of Speech in Writing

Writers also use figures of speech in their work as a means of description or developing meaning. Here are some common examples of figures of speech used in writing:

Simile

Simile is a figure of speech in which two dissimilar things are compared to each other using the terms “like” or “as.”

• She’s as pretty as a picture.
• I’m pleased as punch.
• He’s strong like an ox.
• You are sly like a fox.
• I’m happy as a clam.

Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things without the use of the terms “like” or “as.”

• He is a fish out of water.
• She is a star in the sky.
• My grandchildren are the flowers of my garden.
• That story is music to my ears.
• Your words are a broken record.

Euphemism

Euphemism is a figure of speech that refers to figurative language designed to replace words or phrases that would otherwise be considered harsh, impolite, or unpleasant.

• Last night, Joe’s grandfather passed away (died).
• She was starting to feel over the hill (old).
• Young adults are curious about the birds and bees (sex).
• I need to powder my nose (go to the bathroom).
• Our company has decided to let you go (fire you).

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech that attributes human characteristics to something that is not human.

• I heard the wind whistling.
• The water danced across my window.
• My dog is telling me to start dinner.
• The moon is smiling at me.
• Her alarm hummed in the background.

Writing Figure of Speech

As a literary device, figures of speech enhance the meaning of written and spoken words. In oral communication, figures of speech can clarify, enhance description, and create interesting use of language. In writing, when figures of speech are used effectively, these devices enhance the writer’s ability for description and expression so that readers have a better understanding of what is being conveyed.

It’s important that writers construct effective figures of speech so that the meaning is not lost for the reader. In other words, simple rearrangement or juxtaposition of words is not effective in the way that deliberate wording and phrasing are. For example, the hyperbole “I could eat a horse” is effective in showing great hunger by using figurative language. If a writer tried the hyperbole “I could eat a barn made of licorice,” the figurative language is ineffective and the meaning would be lost for most readers.

Here are some ways that writers benefit from incorporating figures of speech into their work:

Figure of Speech as Artistic Use of Language

Effective use of figures of speech is one of the greatest demonstrations of artistic use of language. Being able to create poetic meaning, comparisons, and expressions with these literary devices is how writers form art with words.

Figure of Speech as Entertainment for Reader

Effective figures of speech often elevate the entertainment value of a literary work for the reader. Many figures of speech invoke humor or provide a sense of irony in ways that literal expressions do not. This can create a greater sense of engagement for the reader when it comes to a literary work.

Figure of Speech as Memorable Experience for Reader

By using effective figures of speech to enhance description and meaning, writers make their works more memorable for readers as an experience. Writers can often share a difficult truth or convey a particular concept through figurative language so that the reader has a greater understanding of the material and one that lasts in memory.

Examples of Figure of Speech in Literature

Works of literature feature innumerable figures of speech that are used as literary devices. These figures of speech add meaning to literature and showcase the power and beauty of figurative language. Here are some examples of figures of speech in well-known literary works:

Example 1: The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.

Fitzgerald makes use of simile here as a figure of speech to compare Gatsby’s party guests to moths. The imagery used by Fitzgerald is one of delicacy and beauty, and creates an ephemeral atmosphere. However, the likening of Gatsby’s guests to moths also reinforces the idea that they are only attracted to the sensation of the parties and that they will depart without having made any true impact or connection. This simile, as a figure of speech, underscores the themes of superficiality and transience in the novel.

Example 2: One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)

Both described at the same time how it was always March there and always Monday, and then they understood that José Arcadio Buendía was not as crazy as the family said, but that he was the only one who had enough lucidity to sense the truth of the fact that time also stumbled and had accidents and could therefore splinter and leave an eternalized fragment in a room.

In this passage, Garcia Marquez utilizes personification as a figure of speech. Time is personified as an entity that “stumbled” and “had accidents.” This is an effective use of figurative language in that this personification of time indicates a level of human frailty that is rarely associated with something so measured. In addition, this is effective in the novel as a figure of speech because time has a great deal of influence on the plot and characters of the story. Personified in this way, the meaning of time in the novel is enhanced to the point that it is a character in and of itself.

Example 3: Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury)

A book is a loaded gun in the house next door…Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man?

In this passage, Bradbury utilizes metaphor as a figure of speech to compare a book to a loaded gun. This is an effective literary device for this novel because, in the story, books are considered weapons of free thought and possession of them is illegal. Of course, Bradbury is only stating that a book is a loaded gun as a means of figurative, not literal meaning. This metaphor is particularly powerful because the comparison is so unlikely; books are generally not considered to be dangerous weapons. However, the comparison does have a level of logic in the context of the story in which the pursuit of knowledge is weaponized and criminalized.

For people who are not native English language speakers, conversing in English regularly may sometimes become a challenge. You may find that you often fumble or speak incorrectly because you can’t find the right words or phrases to express yourself. And in some cases, this can put you in an awkward position. To help you avoid that from happening, we will be exploring 18 different figures of speech examples in this blog. Let’s get started!

What is a figure of speech?

A figure of speech is a phrase that has an implied meaning and should not be taken at face value. This means that the real meaning of such a phrase differs from its literal meaning.

Since most figures of speech are used widely in common parlance, native English language speakers are quite familiar with them. However, if you are not a native English speaker, or if you are one and wish to learn more about your language, then you have come to the right place!

While you may find several figures of speech definitions and examples online, it is important that you first understand the need of using these phrases.

1. Many figures of speech contain metaphors, idioms, similes, ironies, antithesis, alliterations, personifications, and paradoxes. So as you learn about these figures of speech, you also start to understand other aspects of the English language.
2. Since figures of speech are used not only in spoken English but also in the written word, using them can greatly enhance the overall quality of your English.
3. In most cases, you can use these phrases in the form of a witty comeback or simply as a way to demonstrate your eloquence in the language. 

Types of Figures of Speech

After looking at these phrases, you may be eager to start using figures of speech in your daily conversation. But for that, you also need to know which figure of speech to use in which context.

So let’s get into the details of the 18 types of figures of speech with examples so you know exactly when to use each of them.

1. Personification

This type of figure of speech is constructed by attributing certain human characteristics to otherwise inanimate objects. For example, you may have often heard people saying that the “wind is howling.” Look at these two popular examples to get a better idea-

• Opportunity knocked at his/her door.
• Time flies when you’re having fun.

2. Metaphor

This type of figure of speech is generally used by talking about two very different kinds of things that have a common link. Hence, the action, feature, or effect of the unrelated thing can be applied to that of the related thing, and imply a new meaning. For example- 

• She is the apple of my eye.
• The Sun is a creature of habit.

3. Simile

These phrases are somewhat similar to metaphors but are more direct than implied in their meaning. In similes, the indirectly implied meaning is replaced with the words “as” or “like.” These words are used to make the connection between the two different words being used. For example- 

• His response was as cold as ice.
• After taking his medication, he became fit as a fiddle.

4. Alliteration

These types of phrases are figures of speech that have a similar sounding consonant (non-vowel letters) at the beginning of each word. You can identify them by checking for these similarities in two to three consecutive words. Some alliteration figure of speech examples are- 

• Claire, close your cluttered closet.
• Go and gather the green leaves on the grass.

5. Onomatopoeia

These are rather simple yet unique figures of speech. Onomatopoeiae are words or phrases that are similar to the sounds they produce. While they may be an informal and childish way of speaking, these figures of speech can often come in handy when one is trying to be illustrious. Two popular examples are- 

• “Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments will hum about mine ears, and sometimes voices&” (From Shakespeare’s “Tempest”)

• “Tis some visitor&tapping at my chamber door Only this and nothing more.” (From Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven”)

6. Hyperbole

These are one of the most common figures of speech in English, and you must have used them at least once, even if you are not a native English language speaker. These phrases are meant to emphasize the importance of something by using overexaggerated phrases. Two examples of hyperbole figures of speech are- 

• I have told you a million times not to touch my stuff!
• He has a pea-sized brain.

7. Euphemism

Euphemisms are figures of speech that are used to replace stronger and harsher phrases. These are generally milder or more acceptable terms that you can use in your conversations to sound more polite and sometimes, politically correct. For example- 

• She has “passed away”, instead of “died.”
• The company has “let him go,” instead of “fired him.”

8. Irony

Figures of speech sometimes also express sarcasm. You can use these phrases to convey a certain meaning by stating the opposite of it. In common English parlance, such ironic statements or phrases are easily understood. However, here are two examples that will make it clearer-

• During a thunderstorm, Thomas exclaimed ironically, “What beautiful weather we are having!”
• Gerald proposed a useless idea, to which Thomas responded saying, “That’s genius!”

9. Anaphora

This type of figure of speech is characterized by words, phrases, or clauses that repeat in consecutive sentences. They are generally used contrastingly in either children’s rhymes or powerful and dramatic speeches. For example- 

• “So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania…” (From Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech).
• “In every cry of every Man, In every infant’s cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban, The mind-forg’d manacles I hear” (in William Blake’s poem “London”).

10. Pun

Puns are also one of the most common figures of speech that you can use in everyday life. They make you sound witty and even comical in some cases, and can surely be a conversation starter. A couple of examples of pun figures of speech are- 

• Denial is a river in Egypt (referring to The Nile using the word Denial).
• Her cat is near the computer to keep an eye on the mouse.

11. Apostrophe

Apostrophe figures of speech are situations (usually in literary worlds), when a character, author, or speaker addresses an inanimate object or even a person that does not really exist in the given scenario. While you may not find it in common usage, it is definitely an interesting figure of speech to learn about. Here are two examples- 

• Oh, rose, how sweet you smell and how bright you look!
• Oh, trees, how majestic you are as you throw down your golden leaves.

12. Paradox

Similar to ironies, these figures of speech highlight something by talking about exactly the opposite of it. However, a paradox is different because it does not point out the dissimilarity as obviously as an irony. Let’s look at two paradox figures of speech examples-

• “Some of the biggest failures I ever had were successes.” (As said by American actress Pearl Bailey).
• “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” (As said by English novelist George Orwell).

13. Understatement

An understatement is also a type of figure of speech. It is aimed at inciting a less reactive response to a particular statement. These can really come in handy during your day-to-day English conversations. For example- 

• That condemned house just needs a coat of paint.
• Sue won the lottery, so she’s a bit excited.

14. Metonymy

Much like synonyms, these figures of speech refer to words that are used in place of other words (nouns, to be specific). These replacement words are different from the word replaced but share a common connection. Here are two metonymy figure of speech examples- 

• “The pen is mightier than the sword.” (here, ‘pen’ has replaced ‘the written word’).
• “If you want I can give you a hand.” (here, ‘hand’ has replaced ‘help’).

15. Oxymoron

Not to be confused with ironies and paradoxes, this figure of speech is used to connect two opposite ideas simultaneously. This means that, in an oxymoron figure of speech, two contrasting ideas are used within a single sentence to have a jocular effect. For example- 

• This is another fine mess you have got us into.
• Suddenly the room filled with a deafening silence.

16. Antithesis

Antithesis is a figure of speech that contrasts words or ideas in juxtaposition. It shouldn’t be mistaken with an oxymoron because the former is a statement that conveys two conflicting ideas, while the latter is a strategy used to convey two opposing ideas or concepts in a sentence. Some common examples of antithesis are-

• To err is human, to forgive is divine.
• Speech is silver, but silence is gold.

17. Climax

A figure of speech in which ideas, words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance. 

• To infinity and beyond!
• My brother, my captain, my king. 

18. Anticlimax

Anticlimax is a figure of speech in which ideas and events gradually descend in order of importance. It is a rhetorical device that entails abrupt tone changes while moving from significant ideas to unimportant ones.

• She lost her family, her home, and her car.
• She is a great writer, a daughter, and a cook.

What’s next?

Apart from these 18 types of figures of speech with examples, there are many more that you may want to know about. Like-

1. Synecdoche
2. Epigram
3. Litotes
4. Circumlocution, and
5. Pleonasm

-are all different types of figures of speech, though somewhat uncommon in usage.

The best part about knowing all of these is that you can significantly increase the amount of expressiveness in your writing, which is something that is highly sought-after in candidates who sit for exams like the IELTS and the TOEFL. 

Feel free to check out our blog for more such interesting tips!

Happy learning!

Liked this blog? Read: Direct and Indirect Speech | A complete guide to the English language

FAQs

1. What is ‘irony’ in the figure of speech examples?

Irony is a type of figure of speech that is used to denote an opposite meaning to whatever is being said or written. 

2. What figure of speech is good?

While each person may have his/her own personal favorite figures of speech, using metaphors, euphemisms and oxymorons may be considered quite clever. 

3. Which are the 3 most popular figures of speech example sentences?

Three popular figures of speech example sentences are- 

• Your hands are as clean as mud.
• Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are.
• He passed away in his sleep.

4. What are examples of a metaphor?

Some popular examples of metaphors are-

• “I’m feeling blue”
• “Sharon is an early bird”
• “Raining cats and dogs”
• “Heart of gold”

Figures of Speech

Meaning | Definition

A figure of speech is a phrase or word used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or rich effect. It is an expression that is different from its literal meaning.

A figure of speech is a way of describing something or someone interestingly and vividly. The words or phrases may not mean exactly what they suggest, but they paint a clear picture in the mind of the reader or listener. A figure of speech can be in the form of a phrase or a single word. The figures of speech are also knowns as rhetorical figures.

Figure of speech is easier to understand than an idiom as you do not have to be familiar with the language to decipher it. Every language has its figures of speech and idioms that are own to that language. They are used to make writing more interesting.

There are many types of figures of speech in the English language, but we are going to learn the most common types.

All Types of Figure of Speech List

1. Alliteration
2. Metaphors
3. Personification
4. Onomatopoeia
5. Simile
6. Oxymoron
7. Hyperbole
8. Cliché
9. Repetition
10. Rhetorical Questions
11. Three Part List (Rule of three)
12. Rhyme
13. Euphemism
14. Litotes
15. Circumlocution (or Periphrasis)
16. Tautology
17. Pun
18. Epigram
19. Climax
20. Irony – (Sarcasm)
21. Antithesis
22. Assonance
23. Consonance
24. Anastrophe
25. Logosglyph
26. Analogy
27. Paradox
28. Parentheses
29. Exclamation
30. Interrogation
31. Synecdoche
32. Metonymy
33. Dialect
34. Transferred Epithets

Alliteration

Alliteration is a figure of speech in which two usually consecutive words begin with the same consonant sound but not always the same latter.

The word doesn’t always have to be right next to each other, but when you say or read them, the sound is repeated.

For example, four fabulous fish and go and gather the flowers on the grass.

Alliteration helps us to make what we say or write more interesting to listen to or read. Writers and poets use alliteration to make their writing memorable and fun to read. Read the list of alliterative phrases below.

Alliteration Examples

1. cold coffee
2. happy Harry
3. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
4. She sells sea shells on the sea shore
5. Becky’s beagle barked and bayed, which bothered Billy
6. Donald Duck
7. Jackrabbits jump and jiggle jauntily

There are many, many more you will see – and many new ones you can make up – as you do the practice.

We use metaphors all the time. Suppose when your Mummy says, “This house is a zoo!” she doesn’t mean that it is the place where animal lives. She just means that everyone in the house is as noisy as a bunch of animals would be.

She’s using the zoo as a metaphor for the house, she’s describing the house as if were a zoo, to make the comparison clear.

It’s great fun to use metaphors because they make what we say more colourful and people can understand what we are trying to tell them better.

Metaphors Examples

Look at this list of metaphors and what they mean. It will get you started.

1. dirty pig – very filthy
2. having two left feet – very bad dancer
3. to get cold feet – to become nervous
4. to be an early bird – to reach first or earliest
5. pearls of wisdom – wise words

Personification

Personification is giving human qualities to something that may not be human, or even alive.

For example, when you say: “The flowers nodded their head cheerfully.”

What you mean here is that the flowers moved about in the wind looking as if they were cheerful and happy. You’re imagining that  the flowers have human emotions.

Personification Examples

1. laughing flowers
2. howling wind
3. smiling sun
4. opportunity knocking at the door
5. shoe bite

Onomatopoeia

This is a big word that just means words that imitate sounds. Pitter-patter is an example of onomatopoeia. It mimics the sound of rain or maybe little feet.

The word tinkle is also onomatopoeia. It mimics the sound of a bell or falling water.

We use onomatopoeia all the time in our everyday speech. Poets and writers use this figure of speech to make their writing more expressive too.

Onomatopoeia Examples

1. zoom
2. beep
3. groan
4. boom
5. click
6. clip-clop
7. ding-dong

Similes

A simile is a figure of speech in which two things are directly compared. We use the word like or as to make the comparison.

1. as dark as the night
2. as cool as a cucumber
3. fought like cats and dogs
4. eat like a horse

The four phrases above are all similes. The beauty of a simile is that it helps us imagine clearly what the writer is trying to say. Poets and writers use similes to make their writing come alive.

Similes Examples

1. as blind as a bat
2. as bold as brass
3. as bright as a button
4. as black as coal
5. as clear as crystal
6. as cold as ice
7. as cool as a cucumber

Oxymoron

An oxymoron brings two conflicting ideas together. We use them to draw attention from the reader/listener. Two words with apparently contradictory meanings are combined to form a new word that is more in conjunction.

Oxymoron Examples

1. alone together
2. deafening silence
3. bittersweet
4. living dead

Hyperbole

Hyperbole means using exaggerated statements for effect. The media and politicians often use hyperbole to make their articles or speeches more attention grabbing or seem more important bigger, better and more interesting.

Hyperbole Examples

1. I have told you a million times not to get your shoes dirty.
2. Jake’s mum always cooks enough food to feed an army.
3. What have you got in this suitcase; it weighs a ton?
4. I am so hungry I could eat a horse.

Cliché

This is when a phrase is overused and loses impact and lacks original thought. Using a cliche can be seen as old fashioned or even a sign of poor writing as they are expressions that have been used too often and are no longer relevant or interesting.

Cliché Examples

1. A women’s place is in the kitchen.
2. And they all lived happily ever after.
3. All that glitters is not gold.
4. All is fair in love and war.

Repetition

Repetition is when a word or phrase is repeated for effect or emphasis. Teachers often teach things like times tables by repetition and musicians repeat choruses in songs. A good example is Martin Luther King’s – ‘I have a dream’ speech.

Repetition Examples

1. I’m telling you I won’t do it; I simply won’t do it.
2. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
3. He told me about it, years and years and years ago.
4. Home sweet home.

Rhetorical Questions

This type of question doesn’t require an answer as it has been phrased in a way that assumes the reader or listener knows the answer. Public speakers and politicians use rhetorical questions for dramatic effect or to get a point across and not because they expect an answer. The answer is usually obvious, or they think it is.

Rhetorical Question Examples

1. Can pigs fly?
2. Is the Pope a Catholic?
3. Is this supposed to be some kind of joke?
4. We don’t need any more failure, do we?

Three Part List (Rule of three)

These are commonly used in advertising and speeches to grab attention and give emphasis. Three parts seems more comprehensive and knowledgeable than two it seems.

Three Part List Examples

1. Snap, crackle and pop.
2. I came, I saw, I conquered. (Veni, vidi, vici – Julius Caesar)
3. I put my blood, sweat and tears into that project.
4. Hear all, see all, say nowt (nothing).

Rhyme

This is when words have a similar ending sound. It is usually seen most often in poetry and song lyrics but is also in advertising and public speeches. The rhyming words stand out.

Rhyme Examples

1. Try before you buy.
2. 7-eleven
3. Birds of a feather, stick together.
4. Kids and grown-ups love it so, the happy world of Haribo.

Euphemism

A euphemism is an indirect or innocuous word or phrase used instead of something considered unpleasant, harsh or sensitive, or embarrassing. It is often intended to amuse or downplay something that the speaker deems offensive or upsetting somehow. They may be used to cover profanity or sensitive subjects such as gender, disability, and death in a polite manner.

Euphemism Examples

1. Friendly fire (attack from allied forces)
2. He is telling us a tall story (a lie)
3. Senior citizen (old person)
4. Staff restructure (making people redundant)

Litotes

Litotes is an understatement, usually involving a hint of irony. Instead of saying something simple or obvious, a phrase contrary to the truth is used.

Litotes Examples

1. It’s hardly rocket science is it? (often said when a task is very simple)
2. The weather isn’t so good today. (Said during a thunder-storm)
3. She’s no spring chicken. (meaning someone is not young)
4. He’s not exactly a beggar. (He’s financially solvent)

Circumlocution (or Periphrasis)

Circumlocution (also called circumduction, circumvolution, periphrasis, kenning or ambage) is the unnecessary use of many words, when fewer would be more appropriate. An idea or subject is circled, talked around, or avoided altogether instead of directly referencing it.

Circumlocution Examples

1. I work 9am to 2pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. (I work part time)
2. He resides in a refurbished Victorian establishment on the edge of town. (He lives in a terraced house)
3. Our Lord in heaven, the holy father. (God)
4. The vehicle that I own is a fabulous shade of metallic dark turquoise. (My car is blue)

Tautology

It is saying the same thing twice using different words. It is a way of adding emphasis or clarity but can come across as being unnecessarily wordy.

Tautology Examples

1. Sally told everyone with pride that she had made the handmade sweater herself.
2. The kids always take turns to answer the questions one after the other.
3. She’s in the middle of reading Michelle Obama’s autobiography about her life story.
4. They climbed up to the top of Kilimanjaro all the way to the summit.

Pun

Pun is a play on words as it is usually a jokey way of exploiting the fact that some words sound alike or have more than one meaning or spelling. They rely heavily on homophones and homonyms to work.

Pun Examples

1. The chicken farmers favourite car is a coupe.
2. He’s been to see his dentist so many times now that he knows the drill.
3. I’ve forgotten where my wife said we were going, don’t worry, Alaska.
4. The cyclist was two tired to win the race.

Epigram

An epigram is a clever, witty, or satirical phrase or line of poetry. It is usually expressing an ingenious, paradoxical, memorable, or amusing idea.

Epigram Examples

1. I can resist everything but temptation – Oscar Wilde
2. There is only one thing worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
3. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.
4. For most of history, Anonymous was a woman – Virginia Woolf

Climax

This is from the Greek word klimax, meaning staircase or ladder. In narrative the words or clauses are arranged to build tension or drama to a peak (main part of the story) and get the undivided attention of the audience. The reader is mentally preparing for the climax of the story as the conflict or tension rises and finally reaches resolution.

Most films, books, plays or anecdotes have conflict/drama which reaches a climax and then is resolved by the end of the narrative.

Climax Examples

1. Titanic – Think of the rising tension as the ship hits the ice-burg and starts to sink. The water everywhere and people screaming, running trying to save themselves or find family members. The intrigue builds until finally the ship slips below the surface and there is shock and disbelief at the sad a sorry, survivors left floating above.
2. Martin Luther King – His ‘I have a dream speech’ builds in tension and reaches this climax:-
   A promise that all men, yes black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
3. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet has many plot twists and rising tension in the form of family conflicts, love, murder, and finally death.

Irony – (Sarcasm)

A subtle form of humour involving words opposing to what is actually meant. Irony can fall into three categories.

Verbal irony – Saying one thing and meaning something else, usually the opposite of what is said.
Example:  Saying that you couldn’t possibly eat another thing, then reaching for some more cake.

Dramatic irony – This is when the audience is more aware of the plotline than the characters.
Example: In Shakespeare’s Macbeth – While Duncan thinks Macbeth is faithful to him, Macbeth is actually plotting to murder him. The audience knows this, but Duncan doesn’t.

Situational irony – This is when something happens that is completely contrary to what is expected. Often with an element of shock or surprise.
Example: winning the lottery and dying the day after. (Listen to Ironic by Alanis Morrisette for many more examples)

Antithesis

This is the exact opposite of something or when two things contrast greatly.

Antithesis Examples

1. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind – Neil Armstrong 1969
2. Many are called, but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14
3. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. – Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

Assonance

Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sounds in a phrase or sentence.

Assonance Examples

1. We received three emails each week.
2. The rain in Spain, stays mainly on the plain. (From the musical ‘My Fair Lady’)
3. Hear the mellow wedding bells. (The Bells – Edgar Allen Poe)

Consonance

Consonance is the repetition of the same consonant sound in a phrase or sentence.

Consonance Examples

1. The rain pitter pattered in the puddle.
2. The cook cooked the cutest cupcakes.
3. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Anastrophe

Anastrophe is a deliberate change of normal word order for emphasis.

Anastrophe Examples

1. The greatest teacher, failure is. – Yoda (Star Wars)
2. Into the lake the jeep drove.
3. One swallow a summer does not make.

Logosglyph

A logosglyph is a word that looks like what it represents.

Logosglyph Examples

1. She had eyes like pools. (The word eye looks like a pair of eyes with a ‘y’ for a nose and the double ‘oo’ in pools actually looks round like eyes and pools)
2. The word bed actually looks like a bed.

Analogy

A way of comparing things based on ways they are similar. This is to show the similarity without explaining.

Analogy Examples

1. Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get. (From Forrest Gump)
2. He is strong as an ox.
3. She’s as quiet as a mouse.

Paradox

Paradox is a statement containing two opposing facts that seems impossible, contradictory or absurd but might turn out to be true.

Paradox Examples

1. I must be cruel, only to be kind—Hamlet by Shakespeare.
2. Nobody goes to the seaside at the weekend, because it’s too crowded.
3. Youth is wasted on the young.

Parentheses

Something that is added to a statement to provide extra information or an explanation. This is often separated from the main clause by brackets, commas, or dashes.

Parentheses Examples

1. His older brother, the one with six kids, will be visiting next week.
2. Sean Mullins (last year’s winner) is the current favourite to win.
3. The singer – and her backing band – arrived two hours late.

Exclamation

A statement punctuated with an exclamation mark is conveying strong emotion or excitement.

Exclamation Examples

1. Ouch! That really hurt!
2. You just made me jump out of my skin!
3. It’s a girl!

Interrogation

This is a sentence that asks a direct question and is punctuated with a question mark.

Interrogation Examples

1. What is the capital of Canada?
2. Shall we invite the neighbours around for a barbeque tomorrow?
3. Where are my car keys?

Synecdoche

This is when a part of something is used instead of the whole.

Synecdoche Examples

1. He took us for a spin in his new wheels. (Wheels = car)
2. There are hundreds of boots on the ground searching for the fugitives. (Boots = soldiers or police)
3. There was no comment from The White House. (The White House = The President)

Metonymy

Metonymy replaces a word or phrase with something related or associated to it.

Metonymy Examples

1. Have you seen the latest Hollywood blockbuster? (Hollywood = the whole of the film industry)
2. The crown is not able to take political a side. (crown = the queen or royal family)
3. The press is going to have a field day. (press = all news organizations)

Dialect

Dialect is the way people talk in a particular region. In literature, this involves representing speech in the way it actually sounds with phonetic spelling, missing words, and unusual grammar.

Dialect Examples

1. I told ‘er she wer wrong, innit?  (I told her she was wrong, didn’t I?)
2. Howdy Y’all!  (Hello everybody!)
3. Am gonna nae do that. (I’m not going to do that)

Transferred Epithets

It is when we combine an incongruous adverb or adjective with an incongruous noun.

Transferred Epithets Examples

1. They got divorced after years in an unhappy marriage.
2. I balanced a thoughtful lump of sugar on the teaspoon. – P. G. Woodhouse.
3. The farmer plodded along the weary lane.

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Origin of Figure of Speech

Every figure of speech has a different origin. It is not clear where the phrase “figure of speech” comes from. The earliest use of figures of speech is found in the Bible, so it is clear that they have been around for hundreds of years. The most commonly used ones in the Bible are similes. This means that one thing is used in place of another. For example, ‘God is light.’

A figure of speech is a rhetorical device that achieves a special effect by using words in a distinctive way. Though there are hundreds of figures of speech, here we’ll focus on 20 top examples.

You’ll probably remember many of these terms from your English classes. Figurative language is often associated with literature and with poetry in particular. Whether we’re conscious of it or not, we use figures of speech every day in our own writing and conversations.

For example, common expressions such as «falling in love,» «racking our brains,» and «climbing the ladder of success» are all metaphors—the most pervasive figure of all. Likewise, we rely on similes when making explicit comparisons («light as a feather») and hyperbole to emphasize a point («I’m starving!»).

Using original figures of speech in our writing is a way to convey meanings in fresh, unexpected ways. They can help our readers understand and stay interested in what we have to say. 

Alliteration

The repetition of an initial consonant sound.

Example: She sells seashells by the seashore.

Anaphora

The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses.

Example: Unfortunately, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time on the wrong day. 

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases.

Example: As Abraham Lincoln said, «Folks who have no vices have very few virtues.»

Apostrophe

Directly addressing a nonexistent person or an inanimate object as though it were a living being.

Example: «Oh, you stupid car, you never work when I need you to,» Bert sighed.

Assonance

Identity or similarity in sound between internal vowels in neighboring words.

Example: How now, brown cow?

Chiasmus

A verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the parts reversed.

Example: The famous chef said people should live to eat, not eat to live.

Euphemism

The substitution of an inoffensive term for one considered offensively explicit. 

Example: «We’re teaching our toddler how to go potty,» Bob said.

Hyperbole

An extravagant statement; the use of exaggerated terms for the purpose of emphasis or heightened effect.

Example: I have a ton of things to do when I get home.

Irony

The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. Also, a statement or situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea.

Example: «Oh, I love spending big bucks,» said my dad, a notorious penny pincher.

Litotes

A figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite.

Example: A million dollars is no small chunk of change.

Metaphor

An implied comparison between two dissimilar things that have something in common.

Example: «All the world’s a stage.»

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated; also, the rhetorical strategy of describing something indirectly by referring to things around it.

Example: «That stuffed suit with the briefcase is a poor excuse for a salesman,» the manager said angrily.

Onomatopoeia

The use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.

Example: The clap of thunder went bang and scared my poor dog.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side.

Example: «He popped the jumbo shrimp in his mouth.»

Paradox

A statement that appears to contradict itself.

Example: «This is the beginning of the end,» said Eeyore, always the pessimist.

Personification

A figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is endowed with human qualities or abilities.

Example: That kitchen knife will take a bite out of your hand if you don’t handle it safely.

Pun

​A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.

Example: Jessie looked up from her breakfast and said, «A boiled egg every morning is hard to beat.»

Simile

A stated comparison (usually formed with «like» or «as») between two fundamentally dissimilar things that have certain qualities in common.

Example: Roberto was white as a sheet after he walked out of the horror movie.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole.

Example: Tina is learning her ABC’s in preschool.

Understatement

A figure of speech in which a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important or serious than it is.

Example: «You could say Babe Ruth was a decent ballplayer,» the reporter said with a wink.

Techniques
> Use of language >
Figures of speech > Full list

Figures of speech (or ‘rhetorical tropes’) are ways of using words that may seem unusual but have a
specific and desired effect. Read as ‘normal words’ they often break normal
rules of grammar, but can be nevertheless understood They are common in poetry
and eloquent speech.

‘Figures of speech’ is often used generically, and the big list here includes not only figures of speech but also a wider range
of rhetorical and linguistic devices.

• Abbaser: See Tapinosis.
• Abusio: See Catachresis
• Acoloutha: Reciprocal substitution of words.
• Accismus: Feigned refusal of that which is desired.
• Accumulatio: Drawing points into a powerful climax.
• Acutezza: The use of wit or wordplay.
• Acyron: Using a word opposite to what is meant.
• Adianoeta: Expression that has second, subtle meaning.
• Adjunction: Putting the verb at the
  beginning.
• Adynaton: Exaggerated declaration of impossibility.
• Asteismos: Polite expression of emotion.
• Aetiologia: A statement with a supporting cause.
• Affirmatio: Speaking as if one’s point is disputed.
• Aganactesis: Indignant exclamation.
• Allegory: Narrative using sustained metaphor.
• Alleotheta: Substituting one thing for another.
• Allusion: Indirect reference.
• Alliteration: Repetition of same initial sound.
• Ambage: See Periphrasis.
• Amphibology: Ambiguity in grammar.
• Amphilogy: Circumlocution to avoid harm to
  oneself.
• Ampliatio: Using a name where it is not defined.
• Amplificatio: General enhancement of an argument.
• Anabasis: Stepwise increase in emphasis.
• Anacephalaeosis: Summary of known facts.
• Anacoenosis: Asking opinion of audience to gain
  agreement.
• Anacoloutha: Non-reciprocal word
  substitution.
• Anacoluthon: Ending a sentence different to expectation.
• Anacrusis: Unstressed syllables at the start.
• Anadiplosis: Repeating last word at start of next sentence.
• Analogy: A is like B. Using one thing to describe another.
• Anamnesis: Emotional recall.
• Anangeon: Justification based on necessity.
• Anaphora: Repeating initial words.
• Anapodoton: Omitting clause for deliberate
  effect.
• Anastrophe: Changing normal word order.
• Anesis: Adding a conclusion that reduces what was said.
• Antanaclasis: Repeating same word, with meaning change.
• Antanagoge: Being positive about something negative.
• Anthimeria: Substituting one part of speech for another.
• Antilogy: See Antanaclasis.
• Antimetabole: repeating clause, reversing
  word order.
• Anthypophora: Asking then answering your own questions.
• Antiphrasis: Using words in contrary sense for irony.
• Antiptosis: Two logical, but contradicting, arguments.
• Antirhesis: Rejecting bad argument.
• Antisthecon: Replacing one word element.
• Antistrophe: Repeating the final word in successive phrases.
• Antithesis: Contrasting with opposite.
• Antonomasia: Naming a person with other than
  their given name.
• Apcope: Omitting letters from the end of a word.
• Aphaeresis: Omitting letters from the start of a word.
• Aphorismus: Questioning the meaning of a
  word.
• Apophasis: Talking about something without
  mentioning it.
• Aporia: Feigned doubt.
• Aposiopesis: Not completing a sentence.
• Apostrophe: An ‘aside’, to others.
• Apposition: Layered meaning.
• Archaism: Using out-of-date language.
• Assonance: Repeating the same vowel sound.
• Asterismos: Adding a word to emphasize
  following words.
• Asyndeton: Omitting conjunctions.
• Aureation: The use of fancy words.
• Autoclesis: introducing an item by refusing to discuss it.
• Auxesis: Enhancement of importance.
• Bdelygmia: Expression of contempt or hatred.
• Bomphiologia: Bombastic, bragging speech.
• Brachyology: Condensed expression.
• Brevitas: Concise expression.
• Cacemphaton: Deliberately ill-sounding expression.
• Cacophony: Harsh combination of words.
• Catabasis: Steadily decreasing emphasis.
• Catachresis: Using words incorrectly.
• Cataphora: Using a word to refer to a word used later.
• Categoria: Directly exposing another’s
  faults.
• Chiasmus: Two phrases, with reversal in second.
• Cledonism: Circumlocution to avoid saying
  unlucky words.
• Climax: Words ordered in ascending power.
• Congeries: see Accumulatio.
• Consonance: Repeating consonant sounds.
• Correctio: Correction to revise meaning.
• Crasis: Contraction of two vowels into a longer sound.
• Diacope: Repeating word after one or two other words.
• Diallage: Multiple arguments to establish a single point.
• Distinctio: Describing something by saying what it is not.
• Dubitatio: See Aporia.
• Dysphemism: Substituting a mild word with a stronger one.
• Dysrhythmia: Breaking of a rhythmic pattern.
• Dystmesis: Inserting one word into the middle of another.
• Ecphonesis: Short exclamation.
• Ellipsis: omission of words that would make a sentence explicit.
• Enallage: Substituting one item for another.
• Enjambment: Breaking a phrase at an odd
  point.
• Enumeratio: Breaking down and detailing a
  subject.
• Epanalepsis: Repeating the same phrase at
  start and end.
• Epanados: Repeating words in the reverse
  order.
• Epanorthosis: In-sentence correction.
• Epenthesis: Adding letters to the middle
  of a word.
• Epistrophe: Repetition of the same final word or phrase.
• Epitrope: Conceding in order to gain.
• Epizeuxis: Repetition of a word with vehemence.
• Erotema: Rhetorical question.
• Ethopoeia: Putting oneself in the position of another.
• Euche: Expressing emotion through prayer.
• Euphemism: Substituting offensive words with gentle ones.
• Eusystolism: Use of initials to avoid speaking harsh words.
• Exemplum: Using examples (real or fictitious).
• Exergasia: Restating a point in different
  words.
• Extraposition: Putting a subject at a later position than normal.
• Fictio: Attributing of human traits to creatures.
• Glossolalia: Fabricated, meaningless speech.
• Gradation: See Climax.
• Hendiadys: Two words, connected by conjunction.
• Heterosis: Changing the form of the verb.
• Homoioteleuton: similar endings in adjacent or parallel words.
• Homophone: Different words that sound the
  same.
• Hypallage: Reversing syntactical relationship.
• Hyperbaton: Separating words that belong together.
• Hyperbole: Deliberate over-exaggeration.
• Hypocatastasis: Implied comparison.
• Hypocorism: Use of pet names, diminutives, baby talk.
• Hypophora: see Anthypophora.
• Hypotaxis: Subordination of clauses to show
  relationships.
• Hypozeuxis: Every clause having its own subject and verb.
• Hysteron proteron: Reversing temporal
  sequence to put key things first.
• Illeism: Referring to oneself in the third person.
• Inclusio: Bracketing a passage with the same
  words.
• Innuendo: Oblique allusion.
• Irony: Saying something by using its opposite.
• Isocolon: Phrases with multiple similarities.
• Kenning: Replacing noun with circumlocutory
  mythologising.
• Kolakeia: Flattery to distract from unwanted elements.
• Litotes: Denying the contrary of what it being affirmed.
• Malapropism: replacing a word with one that sounds similar.
• Meiosis: Understatement for emphasis or effect.
• Merism: Combining words for meaning beyond normal combination.
• Merismos: Complete description or reference.
• Metalepsis: Referencing something through a
  weakly associated item.
• Metaphor: A is B. Using one thing to describe another.
• Metaplasmus: Deliberate misspelling.
• Metathesis: Rearranging letters in a word.
• Metonymy: Using one item to represent another.
• Narratio: Presenting essential facts.
• Nosism: Referring to oneself in the plural.
• Oeonismos: Expressing emotion through wishing
  or hoping.
• Optatio: Exclaiming a wish.
• Oxymoron: Adjacent words that seem to contradict one another.
• Parachesis: Repeating the same sound in
  successive words.
• Paradeigma: Listing examples to create generalization.
• Paradiastole: Portraying a vice as a virtue.
• Paradox: Seeming contradiction.
• Paraeneticon: Expressing emotion through
  exhortation.
• Paralipsis: Emphasis by obvious omission.
• Parallelism: Repeated patterns in a
  sentence.
• Paraprosdokian: Surprising ending.
• Parataxis: Successive independent clauses.
• Paregmenon: Repetition of words of the
  same root.
• Parenthesis: Nesting
  sentences.
• Parisology: Deliberate use of ambiguous words.
• Parison: Matching patterns across structures.
• Parisosis: Same number of syllables in a
  clause.
• Paroemion: Excessive alliteration.
• Paromoiosis. Similar sounds across two
  clauses.
• Paronomasia: Using similarly sounding words.
• Parrhesia: Boldness of speech.
• Periphrasis: Roundabout wording.
• Perissologia: Excessive use of words.
• Personification: Giving an object human characteristics.
• Pleonasm: Using unnecessary words.
• Ploce: Repetition of a word whilst varying
  specificity.
• Polyptoton: Repetition of a word in different forms.
• Polysyndeton: Repeating conjunctions.
• Polyptoton: Repetition in different forms.
• Praecisio: Not speaking to get over the
  message.
• Praegnans constructio: See Brachyology.
• Praeteritio: Mentioning something that is
  against the rules.
• Procatalepsis: Answering objections in advance.
• Prolepsis: Anticipation of action.
• Proparalepsis: Adding letters to the
  end of a word.
• Prosthesis: Prefixing letters to the beginning of a word.
• Proverb: An encapsulated and unquestioned
  wisdom.
• Psittacism: parrot-like repetition.
• Pun: A play on words.
• Repetitio: Repeating a single word.
• Rhyme: Repeating sounds at end of words.
• Scesis onamaton: Omitting the only
  verb.
• Sententia: Quoting wisdom to create truth.
• Simile: Explicit comparison between two things.
• Spoonerism: Interchange of initial letters of two words.
• Subreption: Phrasing words to misrepresent and concealing facts.
• Syllepsis: See Zeugma.
• Symploce: Simultaneous use of anaphora and epistrophe.
• Synaloepha: Omitting one vowel to combine two words.
• Synchysis: Confused arrangement of words.
• Syncope: Shortening word by omitting middle segment.
• Syndeton: Use of conjunctions.
• Synecdoche: Understanding one thing with another.
• Synesis: Unifying things.
• Synizesis: Successively sounded vowels.
• Synonymia: Repeating synonyms for
  amplification.
• Tapinosis: Downplaying and reducing something.
• Tautology: Repeating meaning, unnecessarily.
• Tmesis: Inserting a word in the middle of another.
• Transumptio: See Metalepsis.
• Tricolon: Three components, increasing power.
• Zeugma: Two words linked to another, only one appropriately.

These are the four classic classifications for figures of speech that modify
text: addition, omission, substitution and arrangement. It is often significant
where these modifications happen, at the beginning, middle or end of the word,
phrase or sentence.

In some ways this list is a bit of a stretch in using the term ‘figure’ to
describe all. In fact many are actually more devices than figures. But then
‘figure of speech’ is commonly used to encompass many forms and has been adopted
thus here.

See also

What are figures?,
Fallacies,
Storytelling

What are the figures of speech?

A figure of speech is a deviation from the ordinary use of words in order to increase their effectiveness.

Basically, it is a figurative language that may consist of a single word or phrase.It may be a simile, a metaphor or personification to convey the meaning other than the literal meaning.

Types of figures of Speech

The figures of speech list is over a hundred but some commonly used types are given along with examples.

We will cover such figures of speech as:
– SIMILE
– METAPHOR
– PERSONIFICATION
– METONYMY
and about 20 others.

1. SIMILE

In simile two unlike things are explicitly compared. For example, “She is like a fairy”. A simile is introduced by words such as like, so, as etc.

2. METAPHOR

It is an informal or implied simile in which words like, as, so are omitted. For example, “He is like a lion (Simile) “and “He is a lion (metaphor)”. In the following examples, metaphors are underlined.

• She is a star of our family.
• The childhood of the world; the anger of the tempest; the deceitfulness of the riches: wine is a mocker.
• She is now in the sunset of her days.

3. PERSONIFICATION

Personification is an attribution of personal nature, intelligence or character to inanimate objects or abstract notions. For example, in some phrases we use, the furious storm, the thirsty ground, and the pitiless cold. Some other examples are:

• Little sorrows sit and weep. (Boccaccio)

The dish ran away with the spoon. (Blake)

4. METONYMY

Metonymy is meant for a change of name. It is a substitute of the thing names for the thing meant. Following examples will clarify the concept.

• The pen is mightier than the sword.
• From the cradle to the grave. = from childhood to death.
• I have never read Milton. = the works of Milton.

5. APOSTROPHE

It is a direct address to some inanimate thing or some abstract idea as if it were living person or some absent person as if it were present. Example, “Boy’s mother loved him very much.”

6. HYPERBOLE

Hyperbole is a statement made emphatic by overstatement. For example, “Virtues as the sands of the shore.”

7. SYNECDOCHE

Synecdoche is the understanding of one thing by means of another. Here, a part is used to designate the whole or the whole to designate a part. For example, “I have the Viceroy, love the man.”, and “All hands (crew) at work.”

8. TRANSFERRED EPITHETS

In transferred epithets, the qualifying objective is transferred from a person to a thing as in phrases. For example, “sleepless night”, “sunburn mirth”, and “melodious plain”.

9. EUPHEMISM

By using the euphemism, we speak in agreeable and favorable terms of some person, object or event which is ordinarily considered unpleasant and disagreeable. For example,

• He is telling us a fairy tale. (a lie)
• He has fallen asleep. (he is dead)

10. IRONY OR SARCASM

In this mode of speech, the real meanings of the words used are different from the intended meanings. For example, the child of cobbler has no shoe.

11. PUN

This consists of a play on the various meanings of a word. Its effect is often ludicrous. For example,

• Is life worth living? It depends upon the liver.
• Obviously, the constitution is against prostitution and congress is against progress. (con means against and pro means for)

12. EPIGRAM

It is a brief pointed saying. It couples words which apparently contradict each other. The language of the epigram is remarkable for its brevity. Examples are as under:

• The child is the father of the man. (Wordsworth)
• Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
• The art lies in concealing art.
• Silence is sometimes more eloquent than words.
• Conspicuous by its absence.

13. ANTITHESIS

In antithesis, a striking opposition or contrast of words is made in the same sentence in order to secure emphasis. For example,

• To err is human, to forgive divine.
• Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.

14. OXYMORON

It is a figure of speech which combines two seemingly contradictory or incongruous words for sharp emphasis or effect. For example,

• “darkness visible” (Milton);
• “make haste slowly” (Suetonius)
• “loving hate” (Romeo and Juliet)

15. LITOTES

It is the opposite of hyperbole. Here an affirmative is conveyed by negation of the opposite. For example,

• He is no dullard.
• I am not a little
• He is not a bad sort.

16. INTERROGATION

This is a rhetorical mode of affirming or denying something more strongly than could be done in ordinary language. Examples,

• Who is here so base that would be a bondman?
• Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman?
• Who is here so vile that will not love his country? (Shakespeare)

17. EXCLAMATION

It is used for strong expression of feelings. For examples, O lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud I fall upon the thorns of life; I bleed!

18. CLIMAX

It is an arrangement of a series of ideas in the order of increasing importance. For example, “What a piece of work man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties! In action, how like an angel!”

19. ANTICLIMAX OR BATHOS

This is the opposite to climax and signifies a ludicrous descent from the higher to the lower.

• A man so various, that he seemed to be. Not one, but all mankind’s epitome; who in the course of one revolving moon; was lawyer, statesman, fiddler, and buffoon.

20. ALLITERATION

The repetition of the same letter or syllable at the beginning of two or more words is called alliteration. For example,

• By apt Alliteration’s artful a
• Glittering through the gloomy g
• The furrow follows f

21. ONOMATOPOEIA

The formation of a word whose sound is made to suggest or echo the sense as in cuckoo, bang, growl, hiss.

• The moan of doves in immemorial elms and murmur of innumerable bees.
• Rend with the tremendous sound your ears asunder with guns, drum, trumpet, blunderbuss, and thunder.

22. CIRCUMLOCUTION

This consists of expressing some fact or idea in a roundabout way, instead of stating it at once. For example,

• The viewless couriers of the air. =(the wind)
• That statement of his was purely an effort of imagination. = (a fiction)

23. TAUTOLOGY OR PLEONASM

Tautology is meant for repeating the same fact or idea in different words. For example, “It is the privilege and birthright of every man to express his ideas without any fear.”

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