literature questions on figures of speech

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:

Personification

Understatement.

• Alliteration
• Onomatopoeia
• Circumlocution

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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
• 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 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.

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 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 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.

Related posts:

• Speech: “Is this a dagger which I see before me

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• Literary Terms
• Figures of Speech
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Use Figures of Speech

I. What are Figures of Speech?

A figure of speech is a word or phrase using figurative language—language that has other meaning than its normal definition. In other words, figures of speeches rely on implied or suggested meaning, rather than a dictionary definition.  We express and develop them through hundreds of different rhetorical techniques, from specific types like metaphors and similes , to more general forms like sarcasm and slang.

Figures of speech make up a huge portion of the English language, making it more creative, more expressive, and just more interesting! Many have been around for hundreds of years—some even thousands—and more are added to our language essentially every day. This article will focus on a few key forms of figures of speech, but remember, the types are nearly endless!

III. Types of Figure of Speech

There are countless figures of speech in every language, and they fall into hundreds of categories. Here, though, is a short list of some of the most common types of figure of speech:

A. Metaphor

Many common figures of speech are metaphors. That is, they use words in a manner other than their literal meaning. However, metaphors use figurative language to make comparisons between unrelated things or ideas. The “peak of her career,” for example, is a metaphor, since a career is not a literal mountain with a peak , but the metaphor represents the idea of arriving at the highest point of one’s career.

An idiom is a common phrase with a figurative meaning. Idioms are different from other figures of speech in that their figurative meanings are mostly known within a particular language, culture, or group of people. In fact, the English language alone has about 25,000 idioms. Some examples include “it’s raining cats and dogs” when it is raining hard, or “break a leg” when wishing someone good luck.

This sentence uses an idiom to make it more interesting:

There’s a supermarket and a pharmacy in the mall, so if we go there, we can kill two birds with one stone.

The idiom is a common way of saying that two tasks can be completed in the same amount of time or same place.

A proverb is a short, commonplace saying that is universally understood in today’s language and used to express general truths. “Don’t cry over spilt milk” is a popular example. Most proverbs employ metaphors (e.g. the proverb about milk isn’t  literally  about milk).

This example uses a proverb to emphasize the situation:

I know you think you’re going to sell all of those cookies, but don’t count your chickens before they hatch!

Here, “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” means that you shouldn’t act like something has happened before it actually does.

A simile is a very common figure of speech that uses the words “like” and “as” to compare two things that are not related by definition. For example, “he is as tall as a mountain,” doesn’t mean he was actually 1,000 feet tall, it just means he was really tall.

This example uses a simile for comparison:

The internet is like a window to the world —you can learn about everything online!

The common phrase “window to the world” refers to a hypothetical window that lets you see the whole world from it. So, saying the internet is like a window to the world implies that it lets you see anything and everything.

E. Oxymoron

An oxymoron is when you use two words together that have contradictory meanings. Some common examples include s mall crowd, definitely possible, old news, little giant , and so on.

A metonym is a word or phrase that is used to represent something related to bigger meaning. For example, fleets are sometimes described as being “thirty sails strong,” meaning thirty (curiously, this metonym survives in some places, even when the ships in question are not sail-powered!) Similarly, the crew on board those ships may be described as “hands” rather than people.

Irony is when a word or phrase’s literal meaning is the opposite of its figurative meaning. Many times (but not always), irony is expressed with sarcasm (see Related Terms). For example, maybe you eat a really bad cookie, and then say “Wow, that was the best cookie I ever had”—of course, what you really mean is that it’s the worst cookie you ever had, but being ironic actually emphasizes just how bad it was!

IV. The Importance of Figures of Speech

In general, the purpose of a figure of speech is to lend texture and color to your writing. (This is itself a figure of speech, since figures of speech don’t actually change the colors or textures on the page!) For instance, metaphors allow you to add key details that make the writing more lively and relatable. Slang and verbal irony, on the other hand, make the writing seem much more informal and youthful (although they can have the opposite effect when misused!) Finally, other figures of speech, like idioms and proverbs, allows a writer to draw on a rich cultural tradition and express complex ideas in a short space.

V. Examples of Figures of Speech in Literature

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.” (William Shakespeare, As You Like It)

This is one of the most famous metaphors ever crafted in the English language. Shakespeare uses his extended metaphor to persuade the audience of the similarities between the stage and real life. But rather than making his play seem more like life, he suggests that life is more like a play. His metaphor calls attention to the performative, creative, and fictional aspects of human life.

“Our words are b ut crumbs that fall down from the feast o f the mind.” (Khalil Gibran, Sand & Foam )

Gibran’s timeless metaphor succeeds for a number of reasons. For one thing, it is not a cliché – had Gibran said “words are just the tip of the iceberg ,” he would have been making roughly the same point, but in a much more clichéd way. But the feast of the mind is a highly original metaphor. In addition, it’s a successful double metaphor. The crumbs and the feast are two parts of the same image, but they work together rather than being “mixed” (see How to Use Figures of Speech ).

“If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both.” (Russian Proverb)

Like many proverbs, this one draws on a simple metaphor of chasing rabbits. The rabbits can stand in for all sorts of objectives, from jobs to relationships, but the coded message is quite clear – focus your energy on a single objective, or you will likely fail. This literal statement, though, is quite dry and not terribly memorable, which shows the power of figures of speech.

VI. Examples of Figures of Speech in Pop Culture

The chorus to Sean Kingston’s Fire Burning contains a couple of figures of speech. First of all, there’s the word “shorty” used as a slang term (see Related Terms ) for a young woman. She may or may not be literally short, but the figure of speech applies either way (though it could easily be taken as belittling and derogatory). Second, Kingston sings the metaphor: “she’s fire, burning on the dance floor.” Hopefully this is a figure of speech and not a literal statement; otherwise, Kingston and everyone else in the club are in mortal danger!

“Oh, thanks! This is much better!” (Townspeople, South Park )

This is an example of irony. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, South Park satirized the government’s response to the disaster by writing about a similar disaster in South Park. In a bumbling effort to rescue people from the floods, the authorities accidentally spill oil on the flood waters and set it on fire, making the situation far more dangerous. In response, they ironically “thank” the people responsible—their meaning is obviously the opposite of their words!

Years of talks between Washington and Havana resulted in Obama’s historic visit to Cuba on March 21st. (Patreon 2016)

This is a common form of metonym in foreign policy and news media. The capital city of a country is used as a metonym for the national government. The talks, of course, are not literally between these two cities, but between the leaders and government officials of the two countries (US and Cuba).

VII. Related Terms

Literal and figurative language.

Language is generally divided into two categories: literal, and figurative. Literal language relies on the real definition of words and phrases, or their literal meanings. Figurative language, on the other hand, relies on implied meanings, which can be understood differently depending on the location or who is using it. For example, “the sky is blue” relies on the literal definition of the word “blue,” while “I am feeling blue” relies on the figurative definition. All figures of speech rely on the use of figurative language for their meaning.

Sarcasm is mocking or bitter language that we use to express different meaning than what we say; often the exact opposite. When your intended meaning is the opposite of the literal meaning, that’s irony (another type of figure of speech), which includes common phrases like “Oh, great…” when you really mean something is bad.

Slang is language that uses atypical words and phrases to express specific meanings. It varies greatly by region, demographic, and language—for example, you would find different slang in the U.S. and in the U.K. even though they are both English speaking countries. Likewise, teenagers and the elderly will use different slang terms, as would Spanish and English. Many slang terms are figures of speech. For example, “bro” could be used to describe a friend rather than an actual brother; this would be using the word as a figure of speech.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

figure of speech

What is a figure of speech definition, usage, and literary examples, figure of speech definition.

Figures of speech  (FIG-yurs of SPEEchuh) are words or phrases used in a non-literal sense for  rhetorical  effect. They are often constructed using literary devices such as  metaphor ,  simile ,  alliteration , metonymy, synecdoche, and personification. Figures of speech allow writers to apply familiar ideas and  imagery  to less familiar concepts, and they are widespread in written and spoken language.

Figure of Speech Categories

Figures of speech fall into two broad categories: tropes and scheme. These are  dozens of figures of speech  that fall into each category, so the following are a select few examples.

These are figures of speech that play with syntax, sound, and words. They often achieve their effects by utilizing repetition of words, phrases, or sounds; omission of words or punctuation; unexpected changes in word order; or paired identical grammatical structures.

• Alliteration : Repeating consonant sounds in a series of words
• Diacope: Repeating words or phrases, interrupted by one or two other words
• Homonyms: Identical words that have different meanings
• Sibilance: Repeating hissing sounds
• Asyndeton: Omitting conjunctions between related series of clauses
• Brachylogia: Omitting conjunctions between individual words
• Ellipsis: Omitting words without losing  context  or understanding
• Syncope: Omitting word or phrase parts

Changes in Word Order

• Anastrophe: Rearranging the subject, object and verb order in a phrase
• Apposition: Two phrases, often separated by commas, where the second defines the first
• Parenthesis: A rhetorical, qualifying phrase inserted into a sentence or passage
• Spoonerism: Switching syllables between two words

Paired Grammatical Structures

• Antithesis : Juxtaposing ideas
• Isocolon: Consecutive phrases of identical length in words or syllables
• Parallelism: Similar grammatical structure between two or more clauses
• Tricolon: Three consecutive phrases of identical length in words or syllables

These are figures of speech that deviate in some way from the literal meanings of words. They tend to include association or comparison to shift readers’ perceptions from words’ true definitions to a layered figurative meaning. They can be broken into five categories: reference, word play/puns, substitutions, overstatement/understatement, and inversion.

• Allegory : A narrative that is an indirect metaphor for a broader, real-world concept
• Allusion : An intertextual reference to another creative work
• Metaphor : A direct comparison between two unrelated things
• Personification: Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities

Word Play/Puns

• Innuendo: A phrase or  sentence  with a hidden (often salacious) meaning
• Malapropism: Confusing a word with a similar sounding one
• Paraprosdokian : An unexpected ending to a phrase
• Pun : Word play that makes use of a word’s multiple meanings

Substitutions

• Dysphemism: Using a harsh word or phrase to replace a gentler one
• Euphemism : Using a more agreeable word or phrase to replace an offensive one
• Metonymy: Replacing a word or term with something associated with it
• Synecdoche: Referring to a whole by its part(s) or vice versa

Overstatement/Understatement

• Grandiloquence: Speech that is pompous or grandiose
• Hyperbole : An emphatic exaggeration
• Litotes : Emphasizing a statement by negating its opposite
• Satire: Criticism of society through humorous means
• Irony : Conveying the opposite of a word’s literal meaning
• Oxymoron : Using contradictory words together
• Paradox: Using contradictory ideas to make a point
• Synesthesia: Using sensory-specific words to describe a different sense

Most Common Figures of Speech

The following are some of the most common figures of speech that appear in literature and other written forms.

• Alliteration :  This is a scheme that uses repetition of the same first consonant sound to create a musical effect. “Francine found France quite lovely” is an example of alliteration because of the repeating  f  sound in the words  Francine ,  found , and  France .
• Apostrophe:  With apostrophe, a speaker directly addresses an inanimate object, an abstract concept, or a person who is either imaginary or not present. John Donne use apostrophe in his poem “ Holy Sonnet: Death, be not proud ,” wherein he speaks directly to a personified idea of death.
• Chiasmus:  This is a scheme where the second half of an expression is balanced against the first half in a reversed order. “You should eat to live, not live to eat” is one example; it repeats the words  eat  and  live  but reverses the order the second time they occur.
• Euphemism:  This literary device takes a mild or indirect word or expression and replaces something harsh, unpleasant, or offensive with it. Saying someone  passed on  is a euphemism for  died ;  powder my nose  is a euphemism for  go to the bathroom .
• Hyperbole:  This is the use of exaggeration for emphasis or heightened effect. “If I don’t nap right now, I will die” is a hyperbolic statement; it conveys the experience of feeling tired, but readers understand the speaker won’t literally die.
• Irony:  This literary device occurs when words are used to convey the opposite of their meaning or when a situation seems directly contrary to what is expected. Famously, Alanis Morissette’s song “Ironic” lists many situations she deems ironic when they aren’t ironic at all; thus, irony.
• Litotes:  This figure of speech refers to a type of understatement. It is used to negate a statement in a way that actually affirms it. For example, saying “That’s no small chunk of change” indicates that the sum in question is, in fact, large.
• Metaphor :  A form of trope, metaphors make an implicit comparison between two unrelated things. “Love is a battlefield” is metaphoric, as it implies the experience of being in love is the same as being on a battlefield.
• Onomatopoeia :  Words that are onomatopoeic evoke the sounds of the thing they are referring to.  Hiss ,  crash , and  tick tock  are all examples because they sound like what they are describing—the sound of a snake, thunder, and a clock, respectively.
• Oxymoron:  This literary device consists of contradictory words paired together. Although the words initially appear to negate each other, they make sense when joined.  Deafening silence  is an oxymoronic pair; the adjective  deafening  means “a volume so high that nothing can be heard over it,” and the noun  silence  means “without sound.” These words are incongruous, but together they mean an overbearing, noticeable absence of sound.
• Personification:  When greater qualities of animation are given to a non-human or inanimate object, that is personification. In T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” fog is described as “The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes/The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes.” Here, Eliot is personifying the fog by giving it the attributes of a cat.
• Pun :  This is a humorous play on words, often using homonyms, homographs, or homophones. For example, “I’ve been to the dentist many times, so I know the drill” is a pun; it plays with the double meaning of the word  drill  as a tool of the dentistry trade and as a concept of something being routine.
• Simile :  Related to metaphors, similes are explicit comparisons made using the words  like  or  as . “Lucille’s dress was as red as a fire truck” makes an explicit comparison between the color of the dress and the color of a fire truck. This allows the reader to properly visualize what Lucille is wearing.
• Synecdoche:  This is a figure of speech wherein a part of something stands in for the whole thing. “All hands on deck” is a synecdoche because  hands  stands in for the whole crew of a ship.”

Figure of Speech and Figurative Language

People often use the terms  figurative language  and  figure of speech  interchangeably; however, they are not the same. Instead, figurative language is a broad category that contains figures of speech, as well as  imagery  and  sound devices .

Imagery adds additional aesthetic resonance to texts through the evocation of sensory details. Sound devices enhance the text through sonic means. These elements, in conjunction with figures of speech, give a deeper meaning to the language a writer uses in their work.

Why Figures of Speech Are Used

These literary devices emphasize, embellish, or clarify written or spoken language. They allow an audience to understand ideas through implied or suggested meaning, thus giving the language a more surprising, creative, and playful effect. Some figures of speech enhance imagery, while others allow writers to employ rich cultural traditions to express their ideas. Even further, other figures of speech allow writers to experiment with structure and sound to create specific effects. No matter which type is used, the expressive quality of figures of speech helps keep audiences engaged.

Examples of Figures of Speech in Literature

1. Hafizah Geter, “ Testimony ”

Geter begins her  poem :

Mr. President,

After they shot me they tackled my sister.

the sound of her knees hitting the sidewalk

made my stomach ache. It was a bad pain.

The poem is a  dramatic monologue  spoken by Tamir Rice, a 12-year old black child who was killed by police officers who mistook his toy gun for a real one. This poem uses apostrophe as the speaker, Tamir, talks directly to “Mr. President” (then president Barack Obama).

2. William Shakespeare,   Macbeth

In Act III, Scene iii., of this play, before King Duncan’s murder is discovered, Lennox and Macbeth converse:

LENNOX: The night has been unruly: where we lay,

Our chimneys were blown down: and, as they say,

Lamentings heard i’the air; strange screams of death,

And prophesying with accents terrible

Of fire combustion and confused events

New hatch’d to the woeful time: the obscure bird

Clamour’d the livelong night: some say, the earth

Was feverous and did shake.

MACBETH: ‘Twas a rough night.

LENNOX: My young remembrance cannot parallel

A fellow to it.

Pathetic fallacy is a type of trope. It occurs when human feelings and attributes are ascribed to nature. This figure of speech is used throughout this  Shakespearean  tragedy. In this particular scene, Lennox describes how terrible and strange the weather was on the evening of the murder. The way the wind and earth seem to embody the horror of King Duncan’s death is pathetic fallacy.

3. Karl Marx,   Das Kapital

In Part I (“Commodities and Money”) of Marx’s treatise on economics, philosophy, history, and political science, he claims:

In the pre-capitalist stages of society, commerce rules industry. In capitalist society, industry rules commerce.

These two sentences are an example of chiasmus. Here, “commerce” first rules “industry,” and then “industry” rules “commerce.” By reversing the order of these words/concepts, Marx employs chiasmus.

4. Toni Morrison,  Sula

The last line of Morrison’s novel is considered by some to be one of the best lines in fiction and nonfiction. The sentence describes protagonist Nel’s grief at the death of her childhood friend Sula:

It was a fine cry—loud and long—but it had no bottom and it had no top, just circles and circles of sorrow.

This sentence is rich in alliteration: “loud and long” contain  L  sounds at the beginning, as well as the repetition of  c  and  s  sounds with  cry ,  circles ,  circles , and  sorrow . The latter is also an example of sibilance.

5. Oscar Wilde,   The Importance of Being Earnest

In Wilde’s play, the main characters John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff pose as men named Ernest, only for Jack to learn that his given name really is Ernest. He delivers the final line of the play:

On the contrary, Aunt Augusta, I’ve now realized for the first time in my life the vital importance of being Earnest.

Jack/Ernest’s declaration is a homographic pun. It means both that he understands the importance of being Ernest (his real name), as well as the importance of being  earnest  (sincere).

6. Aimee Nezhukumatathil, “ On Listening to Your Teacher Take Attendance ”

In this poem, Nezhukumatathil describes the experience of one’s name being mispronounced by a teacher taking attendance:

everyone turns around to check out

your face, no need to flush red and warm.

Just picture all the eyes as if your classroom

is one big scallop with its dozens of icy blues

and you will remember that winter your family

took you to the China see and you sank

your face in it to gaze at baby clams and sea stars

She uses a simile, “Just picture all the eyes as if your classroom/is one big scallop with its dozens of icy blues,” to explicitly compare the staring kids to the dozens of eyes that a sea scallop has.

Further Resources on Figure of Speech

Thought Catalog has a wonderful list of  figures of speech used by Homer Simpson  in  The Simpsons.

Jamcampus published a  great list  of twenty examples of metaphors in popular songs.

This is an entertaining round up of  oxymorons .

SuperSummary's library of resources and content , such as " A Beginner's Guide to Literary Analysis " and " How to Write a Summary ."

Related Terms

• Figurative language

Figurative Language

Figurative Language Definition

What is figurative language? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Figurative language is language that contains or uses figures of speech . When people use the term "figurative language," however, they often do so in a slightly narrower way. In this narrower definition, figurative language refers to language that uses words in ways that deviate from their literal interpretation to achieve a more complex or powerful effect. This view of figurative language focuses on the use of figures of speech that play with the meaning of words, such as metaphor , simile , personification , and hyperbole .

Some additional key details about figurative language:

• Figurative language is common in all sorts of writing, as well as in spoken language.
• Figurative language refers to language that contains figures of speech, while figures of speech are the particular techniques. If figurative speech is like a dance routine, figures of speech are like the various moves that make up the routine.
• It's a common misconception that imagery, or vivid descriptive language, is a kind of figurative language. In fact, writers can use figurative language as one tool to help create imagery, but imagery does not have to use figurative language.

Figurative Language Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce figurative language: fig -yer-uh-tiv lang -gwij

Figures of Speech and Figurative Language

To fully understand figurative language, it's helpful to have a basic understanding of figures of speech. More specifically, it's helpful to understand the two main types of figures of speech: tropes and schemes .

• Tropes are figures of speech that play with and shift the expected and literal meaning of words.
• Schemes are figures of speech that involve a change from the typical mechanics of a sentence, such as the order, pattern, or arrangement of words.

Put even more simply: tropes play with the meaning of words, while schemes play with the structure of words, phrases, and sentences.

The Different Things People Mean When They Say Figurative Language

When people say figurative language, they don't always mean the precise same thing. Here are the three different ways people usually talk about figurative language:

• Dictionary definition of figurative language: According to the dictionary, figurative language is simply any language that contains or uses figures of speech. This definition would mean that figurative language includes the use of both tropes and schemes.
• Much more common real world use of figurative language: However, when people (including teachers) refer to figurative language, they usually mean language that plays with the literal meaning of words. This definition sees figurative language as language that primarily involves the use of tropes.
• Another common real world use of figurative language: Some people define figurative language as including figures of speech that play with meaning as well as a few other common schemes that affect the rhythm and sound of text, such as alliteration and assonance .

What does all that boil down to for you? If you hear someone talking about figurative language, you can usually safely assume they are referring to language that uses figures of speech to play with the meaning of words and, perhaps, with the way that language sounds or feels.

Common Types of Figurative Language

There are many, many types of figures of speech that can be involved in figurative language. Some of the most common are:

• Metaphor : A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another thing, even though this isn't literally true. For example, the phrase "her lips are a blooming rose" obviously doesn't literally mean what it says—it's a metaphor that makes a comparison between the red beauty and promise of a blooming rose with that of the lips of the woman being described.
• Simile : A simile, like a metaphor, makes a comparison between two unrelated things. However, instead of stating that one thing is another thing (as in metaphor), a simile states that one thing is like another thing. An example of a simile would be to say "they fought like cats and dogs."
• Oxymoron : An oxymoron pairs contradictory words in order to express new or complex meanings. In the phrase "parting is such sweet sorrow" from Romeo and Juliet , "sweet sorrow" is an oxymoron that captures the complex and simultaneous feelings of pain and pleasure associated with passionate love.
• Hyperbole : Hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration of the truth, used to emphasize the importance of something or to create a comic effect. An example of a hyperbole is to say that a backpack "weighs a ton." No backpack literally weighs a ton, but to say "my backpack weighs ten pounds" doesn't effectively communicate how burdensome a heavy backpack feels.
• Personification : In personification, non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent to their plans." Describing the rain as "indifferent" is an example of personification, because rain can't be "indifferent," nor can it feel any other human emotion.
• Idiom : An idiom is a phrase that, through general usage within a particular group or society, has gained a meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words. The phrase "it's raining cats and dogs" is known to most Americans to mean that it's raining hard, but an English-speaking foreigner in the United States might find the phrase totally confusing.
• Onomatopoeia : Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or describe. The “boom” of a firework exploding, the “tick tock” of a clock, and the “ding dong” of a doorbell are all examples of onomatopoeia.
• Synecdoche : In synecdoche, a part of something is used to refer to its whole . For example, "The captain commands one hundred sails" is a synecdoche that uses "sails" to refer to ships—ships being the thing of which a sail is a part.
• Metonymy : Metonymy is a figure of speech in which an object or concept is referred to not by its own name, but instead by the name of something closely associated with it. For example, in "Wall Street prefers lower taxes," the New York City street that was the original home of the New York Stock Exchange stands in for (or is a "metonym" for) the entire American financial industry.
• Alliteration : In alliteration, the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “ b ” sound in: “ B ob b rought the b ox of b ricks to the b asement.” Alliteration uses repetition to create a musical effect that helps phrases to stand out from the language around them.
• Assonance : The repetition of vowel sounds repeat in nearby words, such as the " ee " sound: "the squ ea ky wh ee l gets the gr ea se." Like alliteration, assonance uses repeated sounds to create a musical effect in which words echo one another.

Figurative Language vs. Imagery

Many people (and websites) argue that imagery is a type of figurative language. That is actually incorrect. Imagery refers to a writers use of vivid and descriptive language to appeal to the reader's senses and more deeply evoke places, things, emotions, and more. The following sentence uses imagery to give the reader a sense of how what is being described looks, feels, smells, and sounds:

The night was dark and humid, the scent of rotting vegetation hung in the air, and only the sound of mosquitoes broke the quiet of the swamp.

This sentence uses no figurative language. Every word means exactly what it says, and the sentence is still an example of the use of imagery. That said, imagery can use figurative language, often to powerful effect:

The night was dark and humid, heavy with a scent of rotting vegetation like a great-aunt's heavy and inescapable perfume, and only the whining buzz of mosquitoes broke the silence of the swamp.

In this sentence, the description has been made more powerful through the use of a simile ("like a great-aunt's..."), onomatopoeia ("whining buzz," which not only describes but actually sounds like the noise made by mosquitoes), and even a bit of alliteration in the " s ilence of the s wamp."

To sum up: imagery is not a form of figurative language. But a writer can enhance his or her effort to write imagery through the use of figurative language.

Figurative Language Examples

Figurative language is more interesting, lively, beautiful, and memorable than language that's purely literal. Figurative language is found in all sorts of writing, from poetry to prose to speeches to song lyrics, and is also a common part of spoken speech. The examples below show a variety of different types of figures of speech. You can see many more examples of each type at their own specific LitChart entries.

Figurative Language Example: Metaphor

Metaphor in shakespeare's romeo and juliet.

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet , Romeo uses the following metaphor in Act 2 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet , after sneaking into Juliet's garden and catching a glimpse of her on her balcony:

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Romeo compares Juliet to the sun not only to describe how radiantly beautiful she is, but also to convey the full extent of her power over him. He's so taken with Juliet that her appearances and disappearances affect him like those of the sun. His life "revolves" around Juliet like the earth orbits the sun.

Figurative Language Example: Simile

In this example of a simile from Slaughterhouse-Five , Billy Pilgrim emerges from an underground slaughterhouse where he has been held prisoner by the Germans during the deadly World War II firebombing of Dresden:

It wasn't safe to come out of the shelter until noon the next day. When the Americans and their guards did come out, the sky was black with smoke. The sun was an angry little pinhead. Dresden was like the moon now , nothing but minerals. The stones were hot. Everybody else in the neighborhood was dead.

Vonnegut uses simile to compare the bombed city of Dresden to the moon in order to capture the totality of the devastation—the city is so lifeless that it is like the barren moon.

Figurative Language Example: Oxymoron

These lines from Chapter 7 of Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls describe an encounter between Robert Jordan, a young American soldier fighting in the Spanish Civil War, and his lover María.

She held herself tight to him and her lips looked for his and then found them and were against them and he felt her, fresh, new and smooth and young and lovely with the warm, scalding coolness and unbelievable to be there in the robe that was as familiar as his clothes, or his shoes, or his duty and then she said, frightenedly, “And now let us do quickly what it is we do so that the other is all gone.”

The couple's relationship becomes a bright spot for both of them in the midst of war, but ultimately also a source of pain and confusion for Jordan, as he struggles to balance his obligation to fight with his desire to live happily by Maria's side. The contradiction contained within the oxymoron "scalding coolness" emphasizes the couple's conflicting emotions and impossible situation.

Figurative Language Example: Hyperbole

Elizabeth Bennet, the most free-spirited character in Pride and Prejudice , refuses Mr. Darcy's first marriage proposal with a string of hyperbole :

From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that ground-work of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immoveable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.

Elizabeth's closing statement, that Darcy is the "last man in the world" whom she would ever marry, is an obvious hyperbole. It's hard to believe that Elizabeth would rather marry, say, an axe murderer or a diseased pirate than Mr. Darcy. Even beyond the obvious exaggeration, Austen's use of hyperbole in this exchange hints at the fact that Elizabeth's feelings for Darcy are more complicated than she admits, even to herself. Austen drops various hints throughout the beginning of the novel that Elizabeth feels something beyond mere dislike for Darcy. Taken together with these hints, Elizabeth's hyperbolic statements seem designed to convince not only Darcy, but also herself, that their relationship has no future.

Figurative Language Example: Personification

In Chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter , Nathaniel Hawthorne describes a wild rose bush that grows in front of Salem's gloomy wooden jail:

But, on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rose-bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him.

In the context of the novel's setting in 17th century Boston, this rose bush, which grows wild in front of an establishment dedicated to enforcing harsh puritan values, symbolizes those elements of human nature that cannot be repressed, no matter how strict a community's moral code may be: desire, fertility, and a love of beauty. By personifying the rosebush as "offering" its blossoms to reflect Nature's pity (Nature is also personified here as having a "heart"), Hawthorne turns the passive coincidence of the rosebush's location into an image of human nature actively resisting its constraints.

Figurative Language Example: Idiom

Figurative language example: onomatopoeia.

In Act 3, Scene 3 of Shakespeare's The Tempest , Caliban uses onomatopoeia to convey the noises of the island.

Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices...

The use of onomatopoeia makes the audience feel the sounds on the island, rather than just have to take Caliban's word about there being noises.

Figurative Language Example: Synecdoche

In Act 4, Scene 3 of Shakespeare's Macbeth , an angry Macbeth kicks out a servant by saying:

Take thy face hence.

Here, "thy face" stands in for "you." Macbeth is simply telling the servant to leave, but his use of synecdoche makes the tone of his command more harsh and insulting because he uses synecdoche to treat the servant not as a person but as an object, a body part.

Figurative Language Example: Metonymy

In his song "Juicy," Notorious B.I.G. raps:

Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight

Here he's using "limelight" as a metonymy for fame (a "limelight" was a kind of spotlight used in old theaters, and so it came to be associated with the fame of being in the spotlight). Biggie's use of metonymy here also sets him up for a sweet rhyme.

Figurative Language Example: Alliteration

In his song "Rap God," Eminem shows his incredible lyrical dexterity by loading up the alliteration :

S o I wanna make sure, s omewhere in this chicken s cratch I S cribble and doodle enough rhymes T o maybe t ry t o help get s ome people through t ough t imes But I gotta k eep a few punchlines Just in c ase, ‘ c ause even you un s igned Rappers are hungry l ooking at me l ike it's l unchtime…

Why Do Writers Use Figurative Language?

The term figurative language refers to a whole host of different figures of speech, so it's difficult to provide a single definitive answer to why writers use figurative language. That said, writers use figurative language for a wide variety of reasons:

• Interest and beauty: Figurative language allows writes to express descriptions, ideas, and more in ways that are unique and beautiful.
• Complexity and power: Because figurative language can create meanings that go beyond the literal, it can capture complex ideas, feelings, descriptions, or truths that cause readers to see things in a new way, or more closely mirror the complex reality of the world.
• Visceral affect: Because figurative language can both impact the rhythm and sound of language, and also connect the abstract (say, love) with the concrete (say, a rose), it can help language make an almost physical impact on a reader.
• Humor: By allowing a writer to layer additional meanings over literal meanings, or even to imply intended meanings that are the opposite of the literal meaning, figurative language gives writers all sorts of options for creating humor in their writing.
• Realism: People speak and even think in terms of the sorts of comparisons that underlie so much figurative language. Rather than being flowery, figurative language allows writers to describe things in ways that match how people really think about them, and to create characters who themselves feel real.

In general, figurative language often makes writing feel at once more accessible and powerful, more colorful, surprising, and deep.

Other Helpful Figurative Language Resources

• The dictionary definition of figurative : Touches on figurative language, as well as some other meanings of the word.
• Figurative and Frost : Examples of figurative language in the context of the poetry of Robert Frost.
• Figurative YouTube : A video identifying various forms of figurative language from movies and television shows.
• Wikipedia on literal and figurative language : A bit technical, but with a good list of examples.

• PDFs for all 136 Lit Terms we cover
• Downloads of 1913 LitCharts Lit Guides
• Teacher Editions for every Lit Guide
• Explanations and citation info for 40,305 quotes across 1913 books
• Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play
• Alliteration
• Figure of Speech
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Foreshadowing
• External Conflict
• Connotation
• Dramatic Irony
• Antimetabole
• Antanaclasis
• Stream of Consciousness

70 Figures of Speech and Their Meanings

We shouldn’t go straight to the said 70 figures of speech, and their meaning, without knowing what a figure of speech is.

What are figures of speech?

A figure of speech are words or phrases that implicate an intentional digression from the ordinary use of language, to enrich a literary work.

You are more likely to discover one, or more new figures of speech, here. As stated in the title, there are over 60 figures of speech present in this article.

I’m convinced that some of these figures will be new to you. The reason is that this article comprises both common and uncommon figures, as a result of my broad research. 

Before we go further, please do note that the examples given in this post, will not touch all of the provided figures of speech.

However, you will get their various meanings. 

 1. Metaphor 

 3. Personification

 5. Sarcasm

 6. Apostrophe

 7. Antithesis

 8. Hyperbole

 9. Paradox

10. Litotes 

11. Meiosis

12. Epigram

13. Euphemism

14. Antinomasia

15. Metonymy

16. Synecdoche 

17. Alliteration

18. Assonance

19. Onomatopoeia

20. Anthropomorphism

21. Consonance

25. Anti-Climax

26. Chiasmus

28. Metaphrase

29. Syllepsis

30. Hendiadys

31. Paraleipsis

32. Prolepsis

33. Asyron 

34. Cataphora 

35. Ellipsis

36. Dysphemism 

37. Merism 

38. Oxymoron

40. Accismus 

41. Paronomasia

42. Anapotodon 

43. Hyperbation

44. Accumulatio

45. Acutezza 

46. Acoloutha

47. Tricolon 

49. Syndeton 

50. Proverb 

51. Sentetia 

52. Parrhesia

53. Cacophony

54. Brevitas

55. Bomphiologia 

56. Aureaction 

57. Antaclasis

58. Exemplum 

59. Hyperbaton 

60. Heterosis 

61. Innuendo

63. Paroemion 

64. Merismos

65. Isocolon

66. Homophone 

67. Exergasia

69. Correctio

70. Autoclesis 

70 Figures Of Speech And Their Meanings

• METAPHOR : 

One of the most commonly used figures of speech is a metaphor. If you have not heard about it before, then you may not be able to recollect that you have used it before. Certainly, you must have used the figure of speech, Metaphor before, either consciously or unconsciously.

Definition : Precisely, Metaphor is a direct comparison of two things. 

In other words, a Metaphor could be referred to as an identity assigned to one subject by way of another.

In metaphor, one thing is been compared to another, without the use of as or like. 

Two perfect examples of Metaphor are given below:

 1.  Wizkid is our Drake.

 2.  Musa is a Tiger on the Battlefield.

In the examples above, you will notice a direct comparison of two subjects in each of the sentences, without the use of as or like. 

For instance, in the first example, we get to know that the only foreign singer that we can compare Wizkid with, is Drake. This should make you know that they have some things in common. 

Simile, as a figure of speech, helps to draw parallel, or comparison between two similar or dissimilar subjects. The comparison is done, with the use of ‘as’ or ‘like.’

Definition : The comparison of two things, with the use of ‘as,’ ‘like,’ as ‘though,’ ‘as if.’

Some examples of Simile are:

1. Ronaldo plays like Messi on the field.

2. My poem is as lengthy as your poem.

3. He acts as if he’s a novice. 

For a better understanding of Simile, let’s take a look at the poem below:-

      Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

      How I wonder what you are

      Up above the world so high

      Like a diamond in the sky

Do you observe the use of Simile, as a figure of speech in the poem? If No, then I guess you didn’t read it carefully.

The use of Simile in the poem can be found in the last line, where the word ‘like’ has been used for a direct comparison between the Star and a Diamond.

• PERSONIFICATION :

Even when we omit the word comparison, in the definition of Personification, we still can’t take away the similarity between them, Personification and Metaphor, away. 

Definition: It’s the act of attaching Human features to inanimate objects.

Whenever you attach the feature of a Human being to a non-living thing, you have to practice this figure of speech. 

A common feature between Metaphor and Personification is comparison. Although, it may not be seen in Personification, most times.

Some examples of the use of personification are:

 1. The weather is harsh.

 2. My pen is angry.

 3. The cloud is pregnant.

 4. The sun is smiling at me.

 5. The moon sees me.

For goodness sake, none of the objects above can do the things they were said to have done. 

Note that Personification is not used to tell lies. One of its functions is to beautify a literary work.

For instance, when your poem begins with the sentence:

‘I never thought my pen was gonna smile again.’ 

It will help to bring out a sharp picture of your expression. 

One is said to be ironic, when he or she says or writes one thing, but means something different.

Definition: Hence, Irony is an expression that means something opposite. 

In other words, it entails the difference between what we say and what we mean. 

We use this, to say something when in reality, we mean to say the opposite. 

This is also, one of the most commonly used figures of speech. It’s so common, that even uneducated people use it. 

For Example:

 1. The best way to avoid drinking, is to keep bad company.

 2. Dangote is so poor, that he became the richest man in Africa. 

 3. Anthony Joshua is so lazy, that he has four belts at a time. 

Read Also : The concept of literary irony  

Sarcasm is a better way to use Irony. Sarcasm is liable to wound the feeling of a character in a play/novel. 

Definition: An advanced form of verb Irony, with a scornful comment, or remark. 

 1. When something bad happens to you, and someone says, ‘This is exactly what you need!’

 2. After a long day of work, a man returns home, and says, ‘I have been working hard for years, for us to be this poor.’ 

 3. When someone steps on your shoe and you say; ‘very good, keep up the good work.’

• APOSTROPHE :

This is one of the craziest figures of speech you can employ in your literary works. 

Oftentimes, the use of an apostrophe in a play will help you get your audience touched\moved. 

Definition: Talking to someone or something that can not hear you, as if they are listening to you. 

For example:

 1. Death, where have you taken John to? 

 2. Speaking to your child who is not at home, ‘Peter, don’t stay late outside.’ 

In most cases, especially in a drama. People who lost their loved ones, use this figure of speech, to show how lost they are. 

• ANTITHESIS : 

This figure of speech is like a proverb, in the sense that wisdom is often hidden in it, with the use of opposing words/ideas. 

Definition : It’s a figure of speech, where two opposite words or ideas in the same sentence, contrast each other. 

Antithesis unlike Oxymoron, and some other figure of speech, is used to lay emphasis. 

 1.  United we stand, departed we fall. 

 2.  Many are called, but few are chosen. 

 3. Money is the root of all evil, and poverty is the fruit of all goodness.

• HYPERBOLE :

This figure of speech makes something smaller sound bigger. Hyperbole could also be referred to as exaggeration. It should be clearer to you, now, that you know it’s an exaggeration. Just that!

Definition: Hyperbole is a deliberate exaggeration. 

 1. I will die for you, If you give me your heart.

 2. Austin can empty River Jordan if he’s thirsty. 

It is impossible to do any of the things said in the examples above. In the first example, a man who wants to win the mind of a lady is promising to ‘die for her,’ if she can give him, ‘her heart.’ In reality, none of them can do any of the two things said. 

River Jordan is a very mighty river. Yet, we were told that one person’s stomach can have it all. Very impossible!

You will never get the interpretation of a paradox when you don’t pay full attention to the sentence. 

Definition: Paradox is a figure of speech, that hides the truth, from cursory lookers.

A paradox is a self-contradictory statement, who’s meaning is not noticeable.

Hence, only people who pay attention to paradoxical statements will get to know the hidden truth…

For Example, it’s paradoxical to say that:

 1. Attack is the best form of defense.

 2. I must be cruel to be kind.

You can’t defend yourself, without attacking your attacker. But because of the difference in these words, someone who does not pay attention to the sentence will see no meaning in it. 

Litotes is the opposite of Hyperbole. Rather than exaggerating, litotes understates the quality of something.

Definition : It’s a figure of speech, that negatively puts positive remarks.

Whenever your statement underrates someone or something,  you should be sure that you have to use Litotes. 

It’s also the adoption of litotes, when you make a positive sentence, negatively. 

Some examples of the use of Litotes are:

 1. Instead of saying someone is looking beautiful, you say, ‘Princess, you are not bad.’

 2. It’s no laughing matter.  

3. I must multiply them, and they shall not be few. 

Simply put, Meiosis is the synonyms [used instead] of Litotes. It could also be referred to as Litotes. 

This figure of speech is more like Paradox, Proverb, and Antithesis. A common feature Epigram has with a proverb, is the length of its words.

Definition: Epigram is a witty saying that employs both Antithesis and paradox, to convey its meaning in a contradictory manner. 

Some examples are:

 1. He who laughs last, laughs best.

 2. The child is the father of the man.

The examples above could also be a perfect example of Paradox and Antithesis. The second sentence may be difficult for you to explain. It means that when the father of the child is old, the child is the one who will take care of him. 

• EUPHEMISM :

You have euphemized, when you don’t call a bad thing, by its proper name. 

Definition: The use of a less offensive word, in substitute for an offensive\harsh word. 

 1. Grandpa has kicked the bucket. [Instead of saying she died.]

 2. Janet has been put in the family way. [Instead of saying that Janet is Pregnant.]

• ANTINOMASIA :

Antinomasia is a figure of speech derived from a Greek word, ‘Onoma,’ which means ‘a name.’ 

Definition : Antinomasia, is the replacement of a title, for a name.

In this figure of speech, somebody’s office or fame is given to another person, in the same office or fame. Sometimes, the name of well-known people is attached to other people of the corresponding status name. 

 1. Wole Soyinka is the African Shakespeare. 

 2. Kano, is the Mecca of Nigerian Muslims.

It’s more like the use of Synonyms in the English Language. 

Definition : The practice of exchanging an original word with a word related to it. 

 1. ‘Washington, D.C. ‘ in place of The United States Government.

• SYNECDOCHE :

In Synecdoche, we use a part or unit of something, to refer to the whole. 

Definition : it’s a figure of speech, that uses a part of something to refer to the whole of it.

 1. Weary feet in the walk of life.

 2. I need more hands to complete the work.

• ALLITERATION :

Alliteration is otherwise known as a beginning rhyme.

Definition : The repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of each line in a verse/stanza of a poem.

 1. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper.

 2. Sing a song of sixpence. 

• ASSONANCE :

Assonance is the opposite of Alliteration.

Definition: The repetition of the same vowel sounds in a line. 

Some examples of Assonance are:

 1. Hole, Goal, Role

 2. Tall loud and laugh aloud. 

• ONOMATOPOEIA :

It is easy to suggest the meaning of an Onomatopeic word, with the way it sounds. The figure of speech could also be referred to as echoic verse. 

Definition : The use of words, whose sounds help to insinuate the meaning. 

 1. Tick, tack says the clock. 

 2. The enemy’s uprising has been crunched.

• ANTHROPOMORPHISM :

Meaning : The act of giving human qualities to a non-living thing. 

If you have been reading through, from the very beginning of this article, can you recall to yourself, a figure of speech similar to this? 

Well… Personification is another figure of speech, that does the same thing Anthropomorphism does.

I will provide an example for this element, should you have forgotten. 

 1.  Rain beats me yesterday. 

• CONSONANCE :

Consonance is synonymous with Alliteration.  They both have ‘consonant sounds repetition,’ in common.

Definition: It is the agreement of consonant sounds, at the middle or the end of a line. 

 1. Don’t let the pets bite you.

Pun has the function of causing laughter in a situation. 

Definition : Pun, otherwise known as wordplay, is a comical play on words. 

For Instance:

 1. Better late than be late.

Definition : Bathos, is the act of changing suddenly, from something impressive to something foolish. 

 1. Better to be a king in Hell than to serve in Heaven.

 2. It’s better to be poor in the United States than to be poor in Nigeria. 

This common sentence:

 1. I came, I saw, and I conquered.

…Is a typical example of climax.

Hence, Climax is the organization of ideas, in an uprising/ascending format. 

It simply means, putting down an idea, from the minor to the major point. Just as you can see in the example above.

• ANTI-CLIMAX :

Yeah, it is the antonym of Climax. Instead of putting ideas in ascending order, we make them in descending order, here. 

 1. I bought a house, a bike, and a pair of shoes. 

Definition : The way of having a contrast, by the reversal of clauses. 

 1. Dangerous cult kills, killing is a dangerous cult. 

 2. Don’t pray to live, live to pray.

To eulogize means to praise.

Wole Soyinka is the world’s best English professor he’s an idol.

• METAPHRASE :

Definition : The act of changing a verse into prose, or prose into a verse. 

• SYLLEPSIS :

In Syllepsis, a word is used in two different senses, in the same sentence. 

 1. Sometimes, he takes tea, sometimes bread. 

In the example above, ‘he takes,’ works in two senses, for the tea and the bread. 

• HENDIADYS :

In Hendiadys, a single idea is illustrated by two words that are connected by a conjunction. 

 1. This article is good medicine and a solution for the identification of figures of speech.

• PARALEIPSIS :

Definition : The act of concentrating on a subject by pretending to disregard it. 

For instance, ‘I will not speak of his death.’

• PROLEPSIS :

In this figure of speech, one considers things that are yet to happen, as if they have passed.

For Instance, when a student studying hard for an examination says;

‘Having studied hard, I have got A’s in all my courses.

Acyron, is just like Irony. It’s the act of using a word, opposite to what you meant.

• CATAPHORA : 

In literature, Cataphora is the practice of using a word, to refer to the word/idea you are yet to use. 

It’s the omission of words that would make the sentence denotative.

• DYSPHEMISM :

Definition : Replacing a simple word, with a stronger one.

Definition : Merism is the combination of words for meaning beyond the usual mixture.

Definition: The side by side use of opposite words to create a sharp contrast, to catch the attention of the reader. 

For instance:

1. What a sweet sorrow?

2. Emeka cried joyfully.

An allusion is a casual reference to a figure or an event.

• PARONOMASIA :

It’s a synonym of pun. Hence, Paronomasia means playing on words. 

• ANAPOTODON :

Definition : Omitting clause for a deliberate effect.

• HYPERBATION :

Definition : Separating words that are supposed to be together.

• ACCUMULATIO :

Definition : Drawing points, into a powerful conclusion. 

Definition : Acutezza is the adoption of wordplay.

• ACOLOUTHA :

Simply put, Acoloutha is a literary term that means a mutual alteration of words.

Meaning : Tricolon is three elements improving power. 

Definition : Putting a word in the middle of another. 

Syndeton, in literature, is the use of conjunction words.

A proverb is a short witty saying that has a pearl of unquestionable wisdom.

•   SENTETIA :

Definition : Quoting wisdom to establish the fact.

• PARRHESIA :

Parrhesia may be defined as the boldness in a person’s speech. 

• CACOPHONY :

Meaning : A harsh combination of words.

Definition : A concise utterance.

• BOMPHIOLOGIA :

Bomphiologia is a boastful speech.

• AUREACTION :

The use of flamboyant words for impression purposes.

• ANTACLASIS :

Antaclasis is a common type of Pun. In Antaclasis, a word is repeated twice, to give a new meaning to the second occurrence.

1. Your argument is sound, nothing but sound.

It’s the use of examples, either imaginary or real.

• ECPHONESIS : It’s a short exclamation.
• HETEROSIS :

Meaning : It means changing the form of a verb.

Meaning : Innuendo is a devious allusion. It is a way to refer to something or someone without necessarily spelling it out; you pass intended messages in a way that listeners do the proper interpretation job. 

Definition : Recounting sounds at the end of words in a line.

• PAROEMION :

The over usage of Alliteration. 

• MERISMOS : 

Merimos is a complete illustration, or whereabouts. Wiktionary defined it as, “A metonymic term to describe a type of synecdoche in which two parts of a thing, perhaps contrasting or complementary parts, are made to stand for the whole.”

• ISOCOLON : 

Isocolon, phrases with multiple similarities.

• HOMOPHONE :

Definition : Different words that sound the same.

Here & Hear

Year & Ear 

Gun & Gone.

• EXERGASIA : 

Rewording a point in different words. 

Compression of two vowels into a longer sound. 

• CORRECTIO : 

Correction to reverse meaning. Just like what the figure appears to be.

• AUTOCLESIS : 

Bringing up an idea by hesitating to discuss it. The concept of autoclesis is not far from that of innuendo. 

Definition : Linking one word to two or more words, but appropriate to just one of the words.

For Example: 

 1. Janet took her purse, and her leave.

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What Are Figures of Speech? Definition & 100+ Examples

Have you ever pondered how our words can paint vivid pictures, evoke intense emotions, or transport us to magical realms? Welcome to the enchanting world of figures of speech! As the spices of language, these expressive tools bring flavor to our conversations and help us articulate our thoughts with creativity and flair.

Join us as we embark on this exciting linguistic adventure, and unlock the secrets to using figures of speech effectively. Whether you’re a writer, a speaker, or simply someone who loves the art of language, this exploration promises to enlighten and inspire.

So grab your metaphorical paintbrush, and get ready to turn your words into a masterpiece!

Table of Contents

Figures of Speech: Definition

Figures of speech are expressive language devices used to add color, depth, and creativity to our communication. They go beyond the literal meaning of words and phrases, employing stylistic and imaginative techniques to convey ideas more vividly and engagingly.

By intentionally manipulating words and phrases, figures of speech create richer and more impactful expressions, giving language its poetic, persuasive, and emotive qualities.

Figures of speech breathe life into our language, making it more engaging and memorable. They enable us to paint vivid images, evoke emotions, and convey complex ideas with clarity and impact.

Types of Figures of Speech

There are numerous figures of speech, each serving a unique purpose in enhancing the beauty and expressiveness of language. Here are some of the types:

A metaphor is a powerful figure of speech that allows us to make connections between two dissimilar things by asserting that one thing is another. By drawing attention to a shared characteristic, metaphors create vivid images, enhance understanding, and enrich language. Unlike similes, metaphors don’t use comparative words such as “like” or “as.”

Here are some examples of metaphors and their meanings:

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two distinct things by using the words “like” or “as” to establish a connection. By highlighting a shared quality or characteristic, similes create vivid images and enhance the reader’s or listener’s understanding of the subject.

While metaphors make direct comparisons without using comparative words, similes explicitly use “like” or “as” to draw attention to the similarity between the two things being compared.

Here are some examples of similes and their meanings:

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that employs intentional exaggeration to create emphasis, drama, or humor. By magnifying a particular quality or characteristic, hyperboles draw attention to the subject and evoke strong emotions.

Although not meant to be taken literally, hyperboles effectively convey the intensity or extremity of a situation or feeling, enriching language and engaging the reader or listener.

Here are some examples of hyperboles and their meanings:

Alliteration

Alliteration is a figure of speech that features the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Often used in poetry, prose, and tongue twisters, alliteration adds a rhythmic and musical quality to language, making it more memorable and engaging.

Here are some examples of alliteration:

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two seemingly contradictory or opposing terms to create a new concept or expression. By juxtaposing these contrasting words, oxymorons emphasize contrast, create paradoxes, and evoke curiosity or surprise in the reader.

They can also add depth, complexity, or humor to language, highlighting the nuances and contradictions in human experience.

Here are some examples of oxymorons:

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate or sound like the action they describe. This figure of speech is commonly used in poetry and helps to convey a more vivid image to the reader.

Here are some examples of onomatopoeia:

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech that attributes human qualities, emotions, or actions to non-human objects, animals, or abstract concepts.

By giving human characteristics to inanimate objects or intangible ideas, personification helps to create vivid imagery, evoke emotions, and make abstract concepts more relatable and engaging for the reader or listener.

It is frequently used in poetry, prose, and other forms of creative expression to enhance the impact and appeal of language.

Here are some examples of personification:

A pun is a form of wordplay that exploits the multiple meanings or similar sounds of words to create humor, irony, or rhetorical impact. Puns often rely on homophones (words that sound alike but have different meanings) or homonyms (words that have the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings).

They can be used to create jokes, add levity, or bring attention to a particular idea or concept. Puns are a popular form of humor in literature, advertising, and everyday conversation.

Here are some examples of puns:

Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole, or conversely, the whole is used to represent a part. This literary device allows writers and speakers to create emphasis or simplification by using a representative term, making their language more concise, vivid, and engaging.

Synecdoche is commonly used in poetry, prose, and everyday speech to create impactful imagery and evoke emotions.

Here are some examples of synecdoche:

Irony is a figure of speech that uses words to convey a meaning that is opposite to or different from their literal or usual meaning, often to create humor, critique, or emphasize a point.

Irony highlights the discrepancy between what is said or expected and what actually occurs or is meant. It is commonly used in literature, conversation, and other forms of communication to engage the audience and provoke thought.

There are several types of irony, including verbal, situational, and dramatic irony.

Here are some examples of irony:

Litotes is a figure of speech that employs understatement or a double negative to emphasize a point or convey a positive meaning. By presenting a statement in a weaker or more modest form, litotes highlights the intended meaning through contrast or irony.

This rhetorical device is frequently used in literature, speeches, and everyday language to create emphasis, evoke humor, or express modesty and politeness.

Here are some examples of litotes:

Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a closely associated but non-literal term is substituted for the word it is intended to represent. This rhetorical device allows writers and speakers to create emphasis or simplification by using a representative term or symbol, making their language more concise, vivid, and engaging.

Metonymy is commonly used in poetry, prose, and everyday speech to create impactful imagery and evoke emotions.

Here are some examples of metonymy:

A euphemism is a figure of speech in which a mild or indirect expression is substituted for a harsh, blunt, or offensive one. This rhetorical device allows writers and speakers to convey sensitive or potentially uncomfortable information in a more delicate or polite manner.

Euphemisms are often used to address taboo subjects, unpleasant situations, or impolite language, helping to maintain a sense of decorum and respect in communication.

Here are some examples of euphemisms:

Antithesis is a figure of speech that places two opposing or contrasting ideas side by side to create a clear, contrasting relationship or an intense effect. This rhetorical device emphasizes the differences between the ideas and enhances the impact of both concepts by using their contrast to create a striking and memorable image or statement.

Antithesis is often used in literature, speeches, and other forms of communication to engage the audience, provoke thought, and highlight the complexity or depth of an idea.

Here are some examples of antithesis:

Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, an abstract concept, or a personified object. This rhetorical device allows writers and speakers to create a more emotional, intimate, or dramatic effect in their work, engaging the audience and evoking strong feelings.

Apostrophe is often used in literature, particularly poetry and drama, to convey deep emotions, personal reflections, or powerful messages.

Here are some examples of apostrophe:

Understatement

Understatement is a figure of speech that deliberately minimizes the importance or impact of something, often for humorous or ironic effect. This rhetorical device allows writers and speakers to convey their message in a subtle, indirect manner, emphasizing their point by downplaying its significance.

Understatement is often used in literature, speeches, and everyday conversations to create humor, irony, or to heighten the impact of a situation by contrasting it with its mild description.

Here are some examples of understatement:

A paradox is a figure of speech that presents a statement or situation that seems contradictory or illogical but can hold a deeper meaning or truth. This rhetorical device challenges the reader or listener to think beyond the surface and find a more profound understanding or insight.

Paradoxes are often used in literature, philosophy, and everyday language to create intrigue, provoke thought, and reveal the complexity of ideas or situations.

Here are some examples of paradox:

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in non-rhyming words, often used to create internal rhymes and enhance the rhythm in poetry or prose. This figure of speech contributes to the musicality, mood, and overall atmosphere of a piece, making it more engaging and memorable for the reader or listener.

Assonance can also be employed for emphasis, to draw attention to certain words or ideas, and to create a sense of cohesion within a text.

Here are some examples of assonance:

Anaphora is a figure of speech involving the repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of consecutive clauses or sentences to emphasize an idea, create a sense of rhythm, and reinforce a particular point.

This rhetorical device is commonly used in poetry, speeches, and prose to establish a pattern, evoke emotion, and make a message more memorable and powerful.

Here are some examples of anaphora:

Chiasmus is a figure of speech where the order of words in one phrase is reversed in the following phrase, creating a mirrored or inverted structure. This rhetorical device is used to create emphasis, balance, and contrast, making a message more memorable and impactful.

Chiasmus is often found in literature, speeches, and everyday language to convey a sense of symmetry, harmony, or irony.

Here are some examples of chiasmus:

Figurative Language in Literature and Writing

Figurative language is a crucial aspect of literature and writing, serving to create vivid images and engaging scenes for readers.

It is commonly used in poetry, prose, and other forms of writing to enhance the narrative and provide deeper meaning. By employing various literary devices and wordplay, writers can evoke emotions, provoke thought, and create memorable experiences for their readers.

One of the primary purposes of figurative language is to convey abstract ideas and concepts through concrete images. Writers often use metaphors, similes, and personification to create connections between seemingly unrelated subjects.

Another common technique employed in literature and writing is the use of symbolism, where objects, characters, or events represent abstract ideas or concepts.

This can contribute to the development of themes, the exploration of human experiences, and the layering of meaning throughout a narrative. For example, a recurring motif of birds may symbolize freedom, while a shattered mirror may represent broken relationships.

Wordplay, such as puns, alliteration, and onomatopoeia, also enriches literary works and adds an element of sophistication to writing. These devices showcase the writer’s mastery of language and provide additional layers of interpretation for readers.

Using Figures of Speech in Writing: Strategies

Figures of speech are essential tools that writers use to refine their craft and convey meaning effectively. They can enrich writing by providing additional layers of meaning and enlivening prose by introducing distinctive language patterns.

One strategy for using figures of speech is to incorporate various literary devices such as similes, metaphors, and personification in text. These tropes allow writers to make comparisons that evoke strong mental images, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the content.

Another effective approach is to incorporate elements of grammar and structure, such as alliteration, anaphora, or chiasmus, to create memorable and captivating patterns in writing.

Incorporating irony, sarcasm, or understatement in text can also help writers convey meaning in a subtle, witty, or humorous manner. These figures of speech add another dimension to the narrative by contrasting what is said with what is meant or what is expected.

Lastly, it is crucial for writers to understand their audience and consider the context in which the writing will be read. Tropes that work well for one audience might not resonate with another, and overusing figures of speech may hinder understanding or distract from the message being conveyed.

Related Terms and Concepts

In the realm of figures of speech, several related terms and concepts can be found. These terms help clarify the various devices and techniques that contribute to a more evocative and effective use of language.

Circumlocution is a figure of speech in which a speaker or writer uses more words than necessary to express an idea, often with the purpose of avoiding a direct statement. Examples of circumlocution can be found in politics, science, and everyday conversation. It can be a useful tool in crafting an evasive response, obscuring a truth or maintaining diplomatic neutrality.

Pleonasm refers to the use of redundant words or phrases in a sentence. This figure of speech may seem superfluous, but it can be used intentionally to emphasize a point or create a specific effect. In some cases, pleonasm can add lyrical or rhythmic qualities to a phrase, as in poetry.

Epigram is a brief, witty, and often satirical statement that conveys a thought or observation in a concise and memorable way. Epigrams are often used in literature and social commentary to offer insight or provoke thought. Examples of epigrams can be found across diverse literary works, from ancient Greek and Roman texts to the modern-day writings of prominent authors.

Schemes refer to the arrangement of words and phrases in a sentence or paragraph, focusing on syntax and structure. These rhetorical devices can elevate language by creating patterns, contrasts, or emphasis.

Some common examples of schemes include parallelism, chiasmus, and antithesis. Schemes can be powerful tools in crafting engaging and meaningful writing across numerous fields, from science to poetry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a figure of speech and a literary device.

A figure of speech is a type of literary device that uses words or expressions in a non-literal or metaphorical way to create a particular effect, such as imagery, emphasis, or emotional impact.

Literary devices, on the other hand, are a broader category that encompasses various techniques and tools used by writers to enhance their work, create meaning, and engage readers.

Figures of speech are a subset of literary devices, which also include elements like symbolism, irony, foreshadowing, and alliteration.

Can using too many figures of speech be detrimental to communication?

While figures of speech can enrich language and make it more engaging, using too many of them can be detrimental to communication.

Overuse of figures of speech can make a text overly complicated, obscure the intended meaning, and even confuse or alienate readers who are unfamiliar with the expressions being used.

It’s essential to strike a balance between using figures of speech for stylistic effect and maintaining clarity and accessibility in communication.

Can understanding figures of speech improve critical thinking skills?

Yes, understanding figures of speech can contribute to the development of critical thinking skills.

By learning to identify and analyze various rhetorical devices in language, you become more adept at recognizing the underlying ideas, assumptions, and emotions that inform a message.

This heightened awareness can help you evaluate the validity and persuasiveness of arguments, identify potential biases or manipulative language, and make more informed decisions based on the information you encounter.

Can the use of figures of speech affect the tone of a piece of writing?

Yes, the use of figures of speech can significantly affect the tone of a piece of writing. Depending on the specific figure of speech used and the context, it can evoke various emotions, create a sense of humor, or convey a sense of seriousness or formality.

For instance, using a hyperbole can create a sense of exaggeration or humor, while employing a metaphor can add depth or poignancy to a description.

The choice and frequency of figures of speech can help establish the overall tone and style of a piece of writing, shaping the reader’s perception and experience of the text.

Figures of speech are versatile and powerful tools that breathe life into language, enabling writers and speakers to create vivid imagery, evoke emotions, and engage their audience.

By using various rhetorical devices such as metaphor, simile, personification, irony, and litotes, communicators can express ideas in creative, memorable, and impactful ways.

The artful application of figures of speech not only enriches language but also helps to forge connections between the communicator and their audience, ultimately elevating the quality and resonance of any form of communication.

Embrace the world of figures of speech, and watch your language take flight!

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Figures of Speech: Essential Guide for Effective Communication

Figures of speech are essential components of language that add an extra layer of depth and nuance to communication, enhancing written and spoken content. These devices are used in various forms of literature, including novels, poems, essays, and plays, as well as in everyday conversations. By intentionally deviating from the literal meanings of words or phrases, figures of speech grant writers and speakers the ability to emphasize, clarify, and enrich their message.

There are numerous types of figures of speech, each with its unique characteristics and stylistic effects. Some common examples include metaphors, similes, hyperboles, and personification. These instruments of figurative language allow individuals to create vivid images, comparisons, and expressions, capturing the reader or listener’s imagination and conveying ideas more effectively.

Incorporating figures of speech into one’s writing or speech can make a significant impact; it can make the text more engaging, help the audience connect with the content on a deeper level, and provide an element of creativity. The skillful use of these literary devices can also set one apart as an exceptional writer or speaker, leaving a lasting impression on readers and listeners alike.

Types of Figures of Speech

A metaphor is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is used to represent something else, usually by suggesting a common quality or characteristic between the two. For example, “Time is a thief” is a metaphor that implies time steals moments from us, just like a thief would.

A simile is a type of metaphor that uses “like” or “as” to make a direct comparison between two unlike things. An example of a simile is, “Her smile is as warm as the sun.”

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses extreme exaggeration to emphasize a point or evoke humor. For example, “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

Irony is a figure of speech in which the intended meaning of a word or expression is opposite to its usual or literal meaning. For instance, saying “How nice!” when something unpleasant happens.

An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are used together, such as “deafening silence” or “jumbo shrimp.”

A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory or absurd but may express a deeper truth. An example is, “The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.”

• Personification

Personification is a figure of speech in which human qualities are attributed to non-human things or abstract concepts. For example, “The wind whispered through the trees.”

A pun is a play on words that exploits the multiple meanings or similar sounds of words, often to create a humorous effect. An example is, “I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough.”

• Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words or syllables in close proximity. For example, “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it, such as “the White House” to mean the US president’s administration.

Antithesis is a figure of speech in which contrasting ideas are expressed by the use of parallel structures. For instance, “To err is human; to forgive, divine.”

• Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words mimic the sound they represent, like “buzz” or “drip.”

Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole or vice versa. For example, “all hands on deck” means all crew members should help.

Understatement

Understatement is a figure of speech in which something is expressed with less strength or emphasis than it deserves, often for ironic effect. For instance, “It’s just a scratch” when referring to a deep wound.

Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing as if it were present. For example, “O death, where is thy sting?”

Litotes is a figure of speech that uses understatement by negating the opposite, often to emphasize a point. An example is, “He’s not the friendliest person” to mean the person is quite unfriendly.

A euphemism is a figure of speech that uses a mild or indirect expression in place of a harsher or more offensive one. For instance, “passed away” instead of “died.”

Anaphora is a figure of speech in which the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences for emphasis. For example, “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets.”

Circumlocution

Circumlocution is a figure of speech in which a word or idea is expressed indirectly or in a roundabout way. For instance, “the thing you use to write with that has ink” instead of “pen.”

Assonance is the repetition of similar vowel sounds within words in close proximity, often to create a sense of harmony or rhythm. An example is, “The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.”

An epigram is a concise and witty statement or verse that often contains a paradox or an ironic twist. For example, “I can resist everything except temptation” by Oscar Wilde.

Pleonasm is a figure of speech in which redundant or unnecessary words are used for emphasis, such as “burning fire” or “free gift.”

Functions and Effects

Rhetorical effect.

Figures of speech serve various functions in language, including producing a rhetorical effect. By using devices such as rhetorical questions, antimetabole, and ellipsis, speakers and writers can clarify, emphasize, or embellish their message in order to create a persuasive argument or profound observation. Rhetorical questions, for instance, are a technique where questions are posed without the expectation of an answer, serving to make an implied point. Antimetabole uses repetition with a reversal of a word order to create a powerful effect, while ellipsis omits words for a purposeful, concise impact.

Emphasis and Balance

Another function of figures of speech is to create emphasis and balance within a text. This can be achieved through devices like antithesis, which places opposite ideas or things next to each other to draw out their contrast. Similarly, the use of antanaclasis can also provide balance by repeating a word with a different meaning in one sentence, adding emphasis and creating intrigue.

Wordplay and Humor

Figures of speech can bring a sense of wordplay and humor to a text, making it more engaging and memorable. Devices like puns, anthimeria, and periphrasis help create a playful and lighthearted tone while still maintaining the writer’s intended message. Puns use similar or identical words with different meanings to create humor, whereas anthimeria involves using a word from one part of speech as another for a witty effect. Periphrasis, on the other hand, is a figurative device that uses more words than necessary to describe something, often for humorous or exaggerated effect.

Emotional and Imaginative Impact

Lastly, figures of speech can also evoke emotional and imaginative responses from audiences. By using vivid language, metaphors, similes, and other figurative techniques, writers and speakers can form mental pictures that enhance a reader or listener’s understanding of a concept or idea. This capacity to create powerful imagery and elicit strong emotions makes figures of speech essential tools in the art of communication.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are common examples of figures of speech?

Some common examples of figures of speech include similes, metaphors, alliteration, personification, and hyperbole. These figures are often used in literature, poetry, and everyday language to create vivid and memorable expressions.

How many types of figures of speech exist?

There are numerous types of figures of speech, with some sources suggesting over 100 different types. However, it’s essential to be familiar with a handful of commonly used figures of speech to improve one’s reading and writing skills.

What are the four most frequently used figures?

The four most frequently used figures of speech are similes, metaphors, alliteration, and personification. Similes compare two things using “like” or “as,” metaphors make direct comparisons between different objects, alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds, and personification attributes human qualities to non-human entities.

Can you provide examples of 10 different figures of speech?

• Simile : Her smile was as bright as the sun.
• Metaphor : Time is a thief.
• Alliteration : Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
• Personification : The wind whispered through the trees.
• Hyperbole : He’s as strong as an ox.
• Onomatopoeia : The bees buzzed in the flowers.
• Oxymoron : The silence was deafening.
• Pun : Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
• Anaphora : We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets.
• Irony : The fire station burned down.

What are the 8 main types of figures?

The 8 main types of figures of speech are similes, metaphors, alliteration, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, oxymorons, and puns. These figures of speech each serve different purposes and are used in various contexts to convey vivid imagery and meaning.

Which figures of speech are found in a top 20 list?

In a top 20 list of figures of speech, one might find:

• Anadiplosis
• Anachronism

These figures of speech are frequently used in literature, speeches, and everyday language to enhance the meaning and impact of language.

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Top 50 Questions on Figures of Speech in English

Top 50 Questions on Figures of Speech in English- Figures of speech are an integral part of the English language and literature. Do you want to practice figures of speech objective questions for the examination? Are you looking for the top 50 figures of speech questions for UPSC , UGC NET , PGT English , or other examination?

What are the figures of speech?

A figure of speech is a poetic device that is used in a language to produce a greater effect on the reader of the listener.  They are also called images for in theme one thing is presented in the image of another.

Wren and Martin define a figure of speech as, ” Figure of speech as, a departure from the ordinary form of expression or the ordinary course of ideas in order to produce a greater effect.”

1- What is the device called by which non-human and non-living nature is credited with human emotion?

A- Pathetic Fallacy             B-Objective             C-Parody                D-Unification of Sensibility

2-‘Authority forgets a dying king’ is an example of

A- Personification                    B-Apostrophe              C-Hyperbole                  D-Metaphor

3- The term ‘Onomatopoeia ‘ and ‘Oxymoron’ came from

A- Greek              B-Latin                C-Roman                D-French

4- Almost the whole of Modern English Poetry is dominated by

A- Iambic Pentameter               B-Iambic Hexameter              C-Iambic Heptameter              D-Iambic tetrameter

5- ”A lovelier flower on Earth was never sown” has the figure of speech called

A- Hyperbole                  B-Oxymoron               C-Metaphor               D-Implied Simile

6- Which of the following is a direct address either to an absent person or to an abstract or inanimate entity?

A- Apostrophe               B-Ode                C-Epode                D-Hyperbole

7-Pun is a play on words that are similar

A- In sound but diverse in meaning              B- In meaning but diverse in sound

C- Both in sound and meaning but with different sound              D-None

8- Which of the following words show oxymoron?

A- Sweet Pain             B- Chatter Chatter               C-Rivers of Blood               D-O Death

9- Which figures of speech are employed in this line?

” O Wild west wind, thou breathe of Autumn’s being”

A- P ersonification              B-Oxymoron              C-Apostrophe                  D-Metaphor

10- In the following statement which figures of speech are used

” His honor rooted in dishonor stood. And faithful unfaithful kept him falsely true”

A- Oxymoron             B- Personification                 C-Apostrophe               D-Onomatopoeia

11- Which of the following sentences has figures of speech called ‘Apostrophe?

A- O Death! here is thy sting             B-The more haste, the less speed              C-Death lays his icy hands on kings

12- The use of the word with humor satirical intention so that the meaning is directly the opposite of what is said?

A- Irony               B-Jonenillia               C-Hyperbole                D-Personification

13-What is a literary man or a writer of literary works termed as?

A- Literateur               B-Lampoon                C-Limerick                D-Literature

14- ”Life is but a walking shadow” is an example of

A- Metaphor              B-Hyperbole              C-Apostrophe             D-Simile

15- ”The snakes are hissing and the bees are buzzing ” s an example of

A- Onomatopoeia              B-Apostrophe               C-Personification               D-Oxymoron

16- A lie has no legs

A- Personification               B-Metaphor             C-Apostrophe              D-Alliteration

17-Onomatopoeia means

A- Echoing of the sense by the sound, shape, size o movement

B- Echoing the same sound repeatedly

C-Echoing of the same sense or meaning in different words

18-Socratic irony is retention to

A- Ignorance in place of knowledge

B-Admiration in place of contempt

C- Affection in place of disgust

D- Enthusiasm in place of disinterestedness

19-Love is blind

A- Personification           B-Simile              C-Metapho            D-Alliteration

20- How happy is he here!

A- Alliteration               B-Personification              C- Simile             D-Antithesis

21- The wish is father to the thought.

A- Personification               B-Alliteration                 C-Metaphor            D-Simile

22- ”Break, Break, Break on thy cold grey stones, O sea!

A- Apostrophe            B-Oxymoron                C-Personification               D-Metaphor

23-I loved Ophelia, forty thousand brothers Could not with all their quantity of love make up the sum.

A- Hyperbole          B-Metaphor             C-Alliteration              D-Simile

24-What is meant by Synecdoche?

A- A part of something used to signify the whole

B- The hole of something used to signify a part

C- An inanimate object endowed with human feeling

D- The terms with a pronunciation similar to their meaning

25- What is the term used to denote the use of one term to mean another with which it has become closely associated as ‘the crown stands for the king

A- Metonymy                 B-Prospopeia                C-Synecdoche               D-Onomatopoeia

26- M cheeks grow cold with the warmth of the air

A- Antithesis              B-Simile                 C-Hyperbole             D-None

27- Frailty, thy name is a woman!

A- Apostrophe              B-Oxymoron              C-Metaphor              D-Personification

28- The night is dark as a black stone.

A- Simile                B- Metaphor                  C-Onomatopoeia           D-Alliteration

29-Break, break, break big boulder beside the river

A- Alliteration              B-Antithesis                 C-Apostrohe                D-Personification

30- The city’s voice itself is soft like solitude’s

A- Simile                 B-Onomatopoeia              C-Personification               D-Metaphor

31- In trochaic

A- A stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable

B- An unstressed syllable follows tow stressed syllables

C- Two stressed syllables follow one unstressed syllable

32- She floats like a laugh from the lips of a dream

A- Simile             B-Oxymoron          C-Personification                D-Metaphor

33-Life! I know not what thou art.

A- Apostrophe                  B-Oxymoron               C-Personification                D-Simile

34- The naughty boy is cunningly simple.

A- Oxymoron              B-Metaphor             C-Hyperbole             D-Alliteration

35-I hear lake after lapping with low sounds by the shore

A- Onomatopoeia           B-Simile            C-Oxymoron              D-Personification

36-Life is but a walking shadow.

A- Metaphor               B-Apostrophe               C-Simile              D-Hyperbole

37- The feet of two-syllable in which the unstressed syllable precedes the stressed one is called

A- Iambic                 B-Anapaestic              C-Trochaic               D-Dactylic

38- Bathos means

A- Unintentional, ludicrous descent from the exalted to the commonplace

B- Intentional, ludicrous, descent from the exalted to be commonplace

39- An extended narrative which carries a second meaning along with its surface story would be called

A- Allergy             B-Litotes            C-Symbol                 D-Synecdoche

40- A special form of understatement, which assets on affirmative by negating the contrary is

A- litotes              B-Meiosis                C-Irony                D-Variorum

41- Three years she grew in sun and shower

A- Antithesis              B-Alliteration               C-Metaphor              D-Oxymoron

42- As many farewells as there be stars in heaven.

A- Hyperbole              B-Onomatopoeia              C-Oxymoron                 D-Metaphor

43- Can you hear the buzzing of bees?

A- Onomatopoeia               B- Alliteration                 C-Personification                 D-Simile

44- The secretary was conspicuous by his absence.

A- Apostrophe              B-Personification                C-Metaphor                  D-Simile

45- O Earth! What changes have thou seen?

A- Apostrophe                B-Personification                 C-Simile              D-Metaphor

46- Which of the following figures of speech is the opposite of hyperbole

A- Litotes              B-Antithesis                 C-Climax              D-Epigram

47- When the post says that A is B he employes

A- Simile                 B-Metonomy               C-Irony                   D-Metaphor

48-Necessity is the mother of invention

A- Personification                B-Litotes              C-Oxymoron                 D-Paradox

49-The poor people of Ireland should rid themselves of poverty by selling their children to the rich to eat.

A- Irony               B-Logorrhea              C-Paradox                   D-Oxymoron

50- How many times have I told you to clean your room?

A- Rhetorical Questions                 B-Hyperbole                 C-Oxymoron                D-Eponymy

Type of Figures of Speech

There are two types of figures of speech

• accumulation:
• adnomination:
• alliteration:
• anacoluthon:
• anadiplosis:
• anastrophe:
• anti-climax:
• anthimeria:
• antimetabole:
• antirrhesis:
• antistrophe:
• antithesis:
• aposiopesis:
• apposition:
• classification:
• commemoration:
• conduplicate:
• consonance:
• correlative verse:
• dysgenesis:
• enjambment:
• epanalepsis:
• epistrophe:
• half rhyme:
• hendiatris:
• homeoprotein:
• homographs:
• homoioteleuton:
• homophones:
• homeoteleuton:
• hyperbaton:
• hypozeuxis:
• hysteron proteron:
• internal rhyme:
• onomatopoeia:
• paradiastole:
• parallelism:
• paraprosdokian:
• pareidolia:
• parenthesis:
• polyptoton:
• polysyndeton:
• sine dicendo:
• spoonerism:
• superlative:
• synathroesmus:
• synecdoche:
• anacoenosis:
• anapodoton:
• antanaclasis:
• anthropomorphism:
• antiphrasis:
• antistasis:
• antonomasia:
• appositive:
• apostrophe:
• burlesque metaphor:
• catachresis: cataphora:
• circumlocution:
• dehortatio:
• denomination:
• diatyposis:
• double negative:
• dirimens copulatio:
• distinction:
• dysphemism:
• dubitative:
• epanorthosis:
• enumeration:
• grandiloquence:
• exclamation: A
• hypocatastasis:
• malapropism:
• memento verbum:
• metalepsis:
• Negative questions:
• non sequitur:
• occupation see apophasis:
• par’hyponoian:
• paralipsis:
• paronomasia
• pathetic fallacy:
• periphrasis:
• personification/prosopopoeia/anthropomorphism:
• praeteritio:
• procatalepsis:
• proslepsis:
• rhetorical question:
• sensory detail imagery:
• sesquipedalianism:
• syncatabasis (condescension, accommodation):
• synchoresis:
• synesthesia:
• tautology: Example:
• transferred epithet:
• tricolon diminuens:
• tricolon crescens:
• verbal paradox:
• Verba ex ore:
• verbum volitans
• zoomorphism:

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A powerful tool to govern even the King

Quiz on Figures of Speech

Figures of speech are literary devices that are used to convey ideas that go beyond their literal meaning.

Here, we present a well-designed quiz on Figures of Speech with answers and detailed explanations.

Question 1: What figure of speech is used in the sentence “The stars danced in the night sky”?

Daily Grammar Test - Attempt Now

A) Simile B) Metaphor C) Personification D) Hyperbole

Explanation 1: C) Personification – In this sentence, the stars are given human-like qualities by “dancing,” making it an example of personification.

Question 2: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “as busy as a bee.”

A) Simile B) Metaphor C) Oxymoron D) Hyperbole

Explanation 2: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” makes it a simile.

Question 3: In the expression “kick the bucket,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 3: B) Metaphor – This is a metaphor where the phrase is used to represent the idea of dying.

Question 4: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “time flies”?

Explanation 4: C) Personification – Time is given the ability to “fly,” which is a human characteristic.

Question 5: Which figure of speech is used in the sentence “The world is a stage”?

Explanation 5: B) Metaphor – This is a metaphor where the world is directly compared to a stage.

Question 6: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “quiet as a mouse.”

Explanation 6: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 7: In the sentence “The wind whispered through the trees,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 7: C) Personification – The wind is given the human quality of “whispering.”

Question 8: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “cry over spilled milk”?

Explanation 8: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration (making a small problem seem much bigger).

Question 9: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “bitter cold.”

Explanation 9: C) Oxymoron – The contradictory terms “bitter” and “cold” create an oxymoron.

Question 10: In the sentence “His words cut like a knife,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 10: B) Metaphor – The words are directly compared to a knife, making it a metaphor.

Question 11: Which figure of speech is present in the sentence “The city never sleeps”?

Explanation 11: C) Personification – The city is described as if it has the human quality of never sleeping.

Question 12: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “cold as ice.”

Explanation 12: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 13: In the expression “heard it through the grapevine,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 13: B) Metaphor – The grapevine is used metaphorically to represent the way information spreads.

Question 14: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “walking on air”?

Explanation 14: B) Metaphor – This is a metaphor where the act of walking is compared to being on air.

Question 15: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The car’s engine roared with anger.”

Explanation 15: C) Personification – The engine is given the human quality of “roaring with anger.”

Question 16: In the phrase “dead as a doornail,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 16: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to emphasize the lifelessness.

Question 17: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The sun smiled down on the happy couple.”

Explanation 17: C) Personification – The sun is given the human quality of “smiling.”

Question 18: What figure of speech is present in the phrase “the calm before the storm”?

Explanation 18: C) Oxymoron – The contradictory terms “calm” and “storm” create an oxymoron.

Question 19: In the sentence “Time is a thief,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 19: B) Metaphor – Time is directly compared to a thief.

Question 20: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “a needle in a haystack.”

Explanation 20: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to emphasize the difficulty of finding something.

Question 21: What figure of speech is used in the sentence “The raindrops whispered on the windowpane”?

Explanation 21: C) Personification – Raindrops are given the human quality of “whispering.”

Question 22: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “stubborn as a mule .”

Explanation 22: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 23: In the expression “feeling under the weather,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 23: B) Metaphor – The phrase is a metaphor for feeling unwell.

Question 24: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “the world is your oyster”?

Explanation 24: B) Metaphor – The world is metaphorically compared to an oyster, suggesting opportunities.

Question 25: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “Her smile was a ray of sunshine.”

Explanation 25: B) Metaphor – The smile is directly compared to a ray of sunshine.

Question 26: What figure of speech is used in the sentence “The night sky is a blanket of stars”?

Explanation 26: B) Metaphor – The night sky is directly compared to a blanket, making it a metaphor.

Question 27: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “as clear as mud.”

Explanation 27: C) Oxymoron – The contradictory terms “clear” and “mud” create an oxymoron.

Question 28: In the sentence “The mountain stood tall, watching over the valley,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 28: C) Personification – The mountain is given the human quality of “watching.”

Question 29: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “as busy as a bee”?

Explanation 29: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 30: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The stormy ocean roared with anger.”

Explanation 30: C) Personification – The ocean is given the human quality of “roaring with anger.”

Question 31: In the expression “burning the midnight oil,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 31: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to indicate working late into the night.

Question 32: What figure of speech is used in the phrase “the pen is mightier than the sword”?

Explanation 32: B) Metaphor – The power of words is metaphorically compared to the power of a sword.

Question 33: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “His voice was as smooth as silk.”

Explanation 33: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 34: In the phrase “time is a thief,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 34: B) Metaphor – Time is directly compared to a thief.

Question 35: What figure of speech is found in the sentence “The old tree whispered its secrets in the wind”?

Explanation 35: C) Personification – The tree is given the human quality of “whispering its secrets.”

Question 36: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “silent as the grave.”

Explanation 36: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 37: In the sentence “The candle flame danced in the breeze,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 37: C) Personification – The candle flame is given the human quality of “dancing.”

Question 38: What figure of speech is used in the phrase “the world turned upside down”?

Explanation 38: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to convey a dramatic change.

Question 39: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The flowers nodded their heads in agreement.”

Explanation 39: C) Personification – The flowers are given the human quality of “nodding in agreement.”

Question 40: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “quiet as a mouse”?

Explanation 40: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 41: In the expression “bite the bullet,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 41: B) Metaphor – This phrase is a metaphor for facing a difficult situation.

Question 42: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “Her laughter was music to my ears.”

Explanation 42: B) Metaphor – The laughter is directly compared to music.

Question 43: What figure of speech is used in the phrase “a chip on his shoulder”?

Explanation 43: B) Metaphor – This phrase is a metaphor for someone harboring resentment or a grudge.

Question 44: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The sunflowers bowed to the sun.”

Explanation 44: C) Personification – The sunflowers are given the human quality of “bowing.”

Question 45: In the phrase “whiter than snow,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 45: A) Simile – The comparison using “than” indicates a simile.

Question 46: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “walking on thin ice.”

Explanation 46: C) Personification – This phrase personifies the ice, suggesting it is fragile or dangerous.

Question 47: What figure of speech is used in the sentence “The city streets are a jungle”?

Explanation 47: B) Metaphor – The city streets are directly compared to a jungle.

Question 48: In the expression “barking up the wrong tree,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 48: B) Metaphor – This phrase is a metaphor for pursuing the wrong course of action.

Question 49: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The mountain stood like a sentinel, guarding the valley.”

Explanation 49: A) Simile – The comparison using “like” indicates a simile.

Question 50: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “all ears”?

Explanation 50: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to express someone’s full attention or eagerness to hear.

Question 51: In the sentence “The fog crept in silently, swallowing the town,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 51: C) Personification – The fog is given the human quality of “swallowing.”

Question 52: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “time is a thief.”

Explanation 52: B) Metaphor – Time is directly compared to a thief.

Question 53: What figure of speech is used in the sentence “The sun kissed the horizon goodbye”?

Explanation 53: C) Personification – The sun is given the human quality of “kissing.”

Question 54: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “cold, hard cash.”

Explanation 54: C) Oxymoron – The contradictory terms “cold” and “hard” create an oxymoron.

Question 55: In the sentence “Her smile was a beacon of hope,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 55: B) Metaphor – The smile is directly compared to a beacon of hope.

Question 56: What figure of speech is used in the phrase “bitter cold”?

Explanation 56: C) Oxymoron – The contradictory terms “bitter” and “cold” create an oxymoron.

Question 57: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “His words were a soothing balm for her soul.”

Explanation 57: B) Metaphor – The words are directly compared to a soothing balm.

Question 58: In the expression “falling head over heels,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 58: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to convey intense emotions.

Question 59: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “dead of night”?

Explanation 59: C) Oxymoron – The contradictory terms “dead” and “night” create an oxymoron.

Question 60: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The wind howled through the trees.”

Explanation 60: C) Personification – The wind is given the human quality of “howling.”

Question 61: What figure of speech is used in the phrase “light as a feather”?

Explanation 61: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 62: In the sentence “The news hit him like a ton of bricks,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 62: B) Metaphor – The impact of the news is directly compared to a ton of bricks.

Question 63: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “whistle past the graveyard.”

Explanation 63: C) Personification – The graveyard is personified as if it can be whistled past.

Question 64: What figure of speech is found in the sentence “The car’s engine purred like a contented cat”?

Explanation 64: A) Simile – The comparison using “like” indicates a simile.

Question 65: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “apple of my eye.”

Explanation 65: C) Personification – The eye is personified, as if it has an “apple” that is cherished.

Question 66: What figure of speech is used in the sentence “The room was as quiet as a mouse”?

Explanation 66: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 67: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “blind as a bat.”

Explanation 67: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 68: In the expression “raining cats and dogs,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 68: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration for heavy rain.

Question 69: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “the world is your oyster”?

Explanation 69: B) Metaphor – The world is metaphorically compared to an oyster, suggesting opportunities.

Question 70: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The flames of anger consumed him.”

Explanation 70: B) Metaphor – The flames are directly compared to the emotion of anger.

Question 71: What figure of speech is used in the phrase “the bee’s knees”?

Explanation 71: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to express excellence.

Question 72: In the sentence “The sun lazily climbed into the sky,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 72: C) Personification – The sun is given the human quality of “climbing lazily.”

Question 73: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “tongue-in-cheek.”

Explanation 73: C) Personification – This phrase involves using the tongue as if it is in the cheek, conveying humor or sarcasm.

Question 74: What figure of speech is found in the sentence “The flowers nodded in agreement”?

Explanation 74: C) Personification – The flowers are given the human quality of “nodding in agreement.”

Question 75: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “a bed of roses.”

Explanation 75: B) Metaphor – This phrase is a metaphor for a comfortable or pleasant situation.

Question 76: What figure of speech is used in the sentence “The concert was a blast”?

Explanation 76: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to convey that the concert was extremely enjoyable.

Question 77: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “the pot calling the kettle black.”

Explanation 77: C) Personification – The inanimate objects (pot and kettle) are given human qualities, implying hypocrisy.

Question 78: In the expression “take the bull by the horns,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 78: B) Metaphor – This phrase is a metaphor for facing a difficult situation boldly.

Question 79: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “barking up the wrong tree”?

Explanation 79: B) Metaphor – This phrase is a metaphor for pursuing the wrong course of action.

Question 80: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The news spread like wildfire.”

Explanation 80: B) Metaphor – The speed of the news spreading is directly compared to the rapid spread of wildfire.

Question 81: What figure of speech is used in the phrase “a stone’s throw away”?

Explanation 81: A) Simile – The comparison using “away” indicates a simile.

Question 82: In the sentence “The laughter echoed through the empty hall,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 82: C) Personification – The laughter is given the human quality of “echoing.”

Question 83: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “face the music.”

Explanation 83: C) Personification – This phrase is a metaphorical expression for confronting consequences.

Question 84: What figure of speech is found in the sentence “The sun dipped below the horizon”?

Explanation 84: C) Personification – The sun is given the human quality of “dipping.”

Question 85: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “heart of gold.”

Explanation 85: B) Metaphor – This phrase is a metaphor for someone with a kind and generous nature.

Question 86: What figure of speech is used in the sentence “Time is a thief stealing moments”?

Explanation 86: C) Personification – Time is given the human quality of stealing, making it an example of personification.

Question 87: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “the calm before the storm.”

Explanation 87: C) Oxymoron – The contradictory terms “calm” and “storm” create an oxymoron.

Question 88: In the expression “beat around the bush,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 88: C) Personification – This phrase involves using the idea of beating around a bush as if it’s an action with intention.

Question 89: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “a penny for your thoughts”?

Explanation 89: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is a hyperbole to express a desire to know someone’s thoughts.

Question 90: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The sun painted the sky with warm hues.”

Explanation 90: C) Personification – The sun is given the human quality of painting.

Question 91: What figure of speech is used in the phrase “stubborn as a mule”?

Explanation 91: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 92: In the sentence “The rain tapped gently on the windowpane,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 92: C) Personification – The rain is given the human quality of tapping gently.

Question 93: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “break the ice.”

Explanation 93: C) Personification – This phrase involves treating ice as if it’s something that can be broken in a social situation.

Question 94: What figure of speech is found in the sentence “The old clock sighed with each passing hour”?

Explanation 94: C) Personification – The clock is given the human quality of sighing.

Question 95: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “walking on air.”

Explanation 95: B) Metaphor – This phrase is a metaphor where the act of walking is compared to being on air.

Question 96: What figure of speech is used in the sentence “The stars winked in the night sky”?

Explanation 96: C) Personification – The stars are given the human quality of “winking.”

Question 97: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “as clear as crystal.”

Explanation 97: A) Simile – The comparison using “as” indicates a simile.

Question 98: In the expression “throw in the towel,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 98: B) Metaphor – This phrase is a metaphor for giving up or surrendering.

Question 99: What figure of speech is found in the phrase “the apple of my eye”?

Explanation 99: C) Personification – The eye is personified, as if it has an “apple” that is cherished.

Question 100: Identify the figure of speech in the sentence “The road stretched out like a ribbon into the distance.”

Explanation 100: A) Simile – The comparison using “like” indicates a simile.

Question 101: What figure of speech is used in the phrase “a storm in a teacup”?

Explanation 101: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to convey that a situation is blown out of proportion.

Question 102: In the sentence “The river whispered its secrets to the trees,” what figure of speech is being used?

Explanation 102: C) Personification – The river is given the human quality of “whispering its secrets.”

Question 103: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “a watched pot never boils.”

Explanation 103: D) Hyperbole – This phrase is an exaggeration to convey impatience.

Question 104: What figure of speech is found in the sentence “The mountain stood tall like a guardian”?

Explanation 104: A) Simile – The comparison using “like” indicates a simile.

Question 105: Identify the figure of speech in the phrase “grinning from ear to ear.”

Explanation 105: C) Personification – The face is personified, as if it can grin from ear to ear.

Quiz On Idioms

Modal Auxiliaries Quiz

Quiz On Punctuation

• English Grammar
• Figures Of Speech

Figures of Speech - Definition, Types and Usage with Examples

Are you as busy as a bee? Why not take some time off your busy schedule to learn how you can make your speech and writing sound and look extraordinary and engaging? There are many ways to make your language creative and interesting. One of the most effective ways to do it is to use figurative language. In this article, you will be introduced to what figures of speech are, their meaning and definition, the different types of figures of speech and how to use them effectively in sentences with examples.

Table of Contents

Definition of a Figure of Speech

Classification of figures of speech.

• How to Use a Figure of Speech in a Sentence? – Points to Remember

Examples of Figures of Speech

Frequently asked questions on figures of speech in english, what irs a figure of speech.

A figure of speech is an expression used to make a greater effect on your reader or listener. It includes making comparisons, contrasts, associations, exaggerations and constructions. It also gives a much clearer picture of what you are trying to convey.

Let us take a look at how different dictionaries define a figure of speech to have a much better idea of what it is.

A figure of speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meaning in order to create a particular mental picture or effect.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines a figure of speech as “an expression that uses words to mean something different from their ordinary meaning.” According to the Collins Dictionary, a figure of speech is “an expression or word that is used with a metaphorical rather than a literal meaning.”

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a figure of speech as “ a form of expression (such as a simile or metaphor) used to convey meaning or heighten effect often by comparing or identifying one thing with another that has a meaning or connotation familiar to the reader or listener.” According to the Macmillan Dictionary, a figure of speech is defined as “an expression in which the words are used figuratively, not in their normal literal meaning.”

Figures of Speech in English Grammar

In English grammar , there are around fifteen to twenty figures of speech. However, there are a few of them which are used more often than the others. Let us look at the most commonly used figures of speech.

• Personification
• Alliteration
• Transferred Epithet

How to Use a Figure of Speech in English? – Points to Remember

You now know that a figure of speech can make your language look and sound a lot more poetical, interesting and flamboyant. However, the challenge is not about learning the different figures of speech but knowing when, where and how to use them. You cannot use it anywhere you like. Only if it is used right and where they are appropriate and necessary, will it make your language better.

Figures of speech are not meant to provide information literally, so it is not suggested that you use figurative language in professional presentations and writings like essays. Since they do not convey literal meanings, it is very important that you learn how each figure of speech can be used. What is more important is knowing what it would mean when used in a particular part of a sentence. So, the most significant point that you have to keep in mind when using figures of speech is to employ them only if they give you the desired effect and meaning.

The figures of speech can be categorized into types based on their functions when used in sentences. Accordingly, the main categories are composed of ones that:

• Show a Relationship or Resemblance
• Show Phonetic Resemblances and Representing Sounds
• Show Emphasis or Unimportance

Showing a Relationship or Resemblance

This category includes figures of speech which are designed to make comparisons to show a relationship or some resemblances. Similes, metaphors, personification, euphemism, metonymy and synecdoche are the figures of speech used for this purpose.

Showing Phonetic Resemblances and Representing Sounds

This category of figures of speech include alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia. The first two figures of speech are used to create an effect by using similar sounding words or words starting with the same consonant and vowel sounds, whereas onomatopoeia includes words that are used to represent sounds.

Showing Emphasis or Unimportance

The figures of speech belonging to this category are used to provide emphasis or show how important or unimportant something is. Hyperbole, antithesis, oxymoron, irony and litotes are figures of speech that can be used for this purpose.

Here are a few examples of the different figures of speech in English grammar.

• Simile – Rachel is as bright as the sun.
• Metaphor – The whole world is a stage.
• Personification – The wind whispered in my ears.
• Apostrophe – O William, you should be living now to see all this.
• Alliteration – Sally sold some seashells.
• Assonance – I seem to like your little green trees.
• Hyperbole – I am so hungry I could eat a horse.
• Oxymoron – Euthanizing their sick pet dog was considered as an act of kind cruelty.
• Epigram – The child is the father of man.
• Irony – A fire station burned down yesterday.
• Pun – Life depends upon the liver.
• Metonymy – The Bench decided that the man is guilty.
• Synecdoche – We need more hands to help us move this cupboard.
• Transferred Epithet – She had a sleepless night.

What is a figure of speech?

What is the definition of a figure of speech.

A figure of speech, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meaning in order to create a particular mental picture or effect.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines a figure of speech as “an expression that uses words to mean something different from their ordinary meaning.” According to the Collins Dictionary, a figure of speech is “an expression or word that is used with a metaphorical rather than a literal meaning.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a figure of speech as “ a form of expression (such as a simile or metaphor) used to convey meaning or heighten effect often by comparing or identifying one thing with another that has a meaning or connotation familiar to the reader or listener.” According to the Macmillan Dictionary, a figure of speech is defined as “an expression in which the words are used figuratively, not in their normal literal meaning.”

What are the different figures of speech in English?

Here is a list of the different figures of speech in English.

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literary devices/ Figures of speech

10th - 11th grade.

30 questions

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No student devices needed.   Know more

parting is such sweet sorrow

That is water under the bridge

Personification

Jody arrived to the birthday party in her birthday suit.

The trees stood at attention as the majestic breeze ran through the town

Betty bought a bit of butter but she found the butter bitter so she bought a better butter but that butter was also bitter.

Alliteration

Onomatopoeia

I am between jobs at the moment.

He is as funny as a barrel of monkey.

Watching Annette get dressed was like watching paint dry.

Kisses are the flowers of affection.

The calm lake was a mirror.

Lightning danced across the sky

The car complain as the key was roughly put into its ignition.

My alarm clock yells at me to get out of bed every morning.

Oh, just get a job? Yeah, why don’t I just strap on my job helmet and squeeze down into a job cannon, and fire off into jobland where jobs grow on jobbies!

I love the fact that my neighbor’s dog barks at me whenever I go outside. It makes me feel noticed.

I work 40 hours a week to be this poor.

The life of a patient of hypertension is always at steak .

I am trying to solve a million issues these days.

The boy was dying to get a new school bag.

Their headmaster was omnipresent, as he seemed to be all around the school all the time.

“Well now, one winter it was so cold that all the geese flew backward and all the fish moved south and even the snow turned blue. Late at night, it got so frigid that all spoken words froze solid afore they could be heard. People had to wait until sunup to find out what folks were talking about the night before.”

“‘Mine is a long and a sad tale! said the Mouse, turning to Alice, and sighing. ‘It is a long tail, certainly,’ said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouse’s tail; ‘but why do you call it sad?’”

“The past, the present, and the future walk into a bar. It was tense!”

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Figures of Speech vs Literary Devices: What’s The Difference?

Welcome to this Literature tutorial on Figures of Speech vs Literary Devices. You are about to uncover the difference between these two terms once and for all. Also, get ready to find out what they share in common.

Introduction

Although the terms ‘figure of speech’ and ‘literary device’ are often used interchangeably, they do not mean the same thing. In this post, you will learn the definitions and differences between figures of speech and literary devices.

I will also draw your attention to any similarities between these two terms in Literature. We will illustrate this tutorial on the difference between figures of speech and literary devices with appropriate examples.

Therefore, if you are looking for notes that will clear any confusion in your mind about the difference between a figure of speech and a literary device, you’ve just landed on the right spot.

Without any further delay, let’s get it done.

What are literary devices and figures of speech?

Literary devices and figures of speech are tools that writers use to enhance the quality of their writing to create a more engaging experience for readers.

We shall quickly define the two terms separately.

Definition of Literary Devices

Literary devices are techniques that writers employ to add style, convey meaning, create mood, or evoke certain emotions in their readers.

These include various styles of writing, narrative techniques, storytelling methods, and language choices that add depth and richness to the text.

Examples of literary devices include personification, similes, metaphors, paradoxes, symbolism, subplots, dramatic irony, plot twists and realism.

35 Narrative Techniques in Literature with Examples

Literary Devices and Figures of Speech 101: FREE PDF

Definition of Figures of Speech

Figures of speech, on the other hand, are specific types of literary devices that involve the use of language in a non-literal way to create vivid images or effects.

They are expressions where words are used to deviate from their literal meanings to achieve a special effect. This is why we often associate figures of speech with the literary technique known as imagery.

• 6 Types of Imagery in Literature

Examples of figures of speech include similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, and alliteration.

The Difference Between Figures of Speech and Literary Devices

We can now tackle the main issue of Figures of Speech vs Literary devices.

While both terms are related, the key difference lies in their scope .

Literary devices cover a broad range of techniques used in writing, including figures of speech.

Figures of speech, on the other hand, specifically refer to the intentional and artful use of language in a non-literal manner.

In other words, all figures of speech are literary devices, but not all literary devices are figures of speech.

Let’s illustrate further with examples of literary devices that may not be figures of speech.

Literary Device Examples

Here are a few examples of literary devices that are not necessarily figures of speech.

Foreshadowing

Definition: In foreshadowing, the author gives hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.

Example: In a mystery novel, the author may subtly mention a mysterious character or event early on, creating anticipation for the reader.

Definition: The narrative shifts to a scene that happened before the current time. Flashback, as a literary technique, helps provide background information to the reader.

Example: In a story, a character might have a flashback to their childhood, helping readers understand their motivations or past experiences.

Definition: The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. Symbolism is a literary device that adds depth and layers of meaning to a work.

Example: A dove in literature often symbolizes peace or freedom, going beyond its literal representation as a bird.

Best 10 Examples of Symbolism in Literature

Definition: A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work of art within a literary work.

Example: A character in a novel might allude to Shakespeare, adding a layer of meaning for readers familiar with his works.

Irony (Verbal, Situational, Dramatic)

Definition: A situation with a difference between appearance and reality, or between what is expected and what actually occurs.

Example: Verbal irony occurs when a character says something but means the opposite, adding a layer of humour or sarcasm.

You can get the definitions and examples of situational irony and dramatic irony in this post.

Related Posts

• Literary Devices & Figures of Speech 101 (+ PDF)
• Best 10 Examples of Symbolism in Literature (with Definition)
• 40 Easy Examples of Oxymoron in Literature
• Examples of Resolution and Denouement in Literature (with Definitions)

To Summarize: Figures of Speech vs Literary Devices

Always remember that literary devices are the broader category of tools writers use. Figures of speech constitute just a specific subset within the broader category of literary devices or techniques.

Therefore, while all figures of speech such as metaphor, personification, metonymy and alliteration are literary devices, many literary devices are not necessarily figures of speech.

These include poetic techniques such as diction and symbolism, dramatic techniques such as humour and dramatic irony and narrative techniques such as narrative hook and cliffhanger .

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