stylistic devices in speeches

15 Examples of Powerful Rhetorical Devices to Level Up Your Communication Skills

• The Speaker Lab
• July 9, 2024

Table of Contents

When it comes to mastering the art of public speaking , there are plenty of skills you might focus on improving. One such skill is the use of rhetorical devices in your speech. From Abraham Lincoln to modern-day authors, these tools have shaped unforgettable narratives and compelling arguments. In this article, we’ll explore some key examples of rhetorical devices that you can incorporate into your own writing to captivate and persuade. By the end, you’ll see how these techniques quietly work behind the scenes to make words come alive.

What Are Rhetorical Devices?

Before we study some examples of rhetorical devices, let’s first define what they actually are. Rhetorical devices are techniques or language used to convey a point or convince an audience. And they’re not just for English teachers or literature buffs—politicians, businesspeople, and even your favorite novelists all use rhetorical devices to persuade and impact their audiences.

While there’s some overlap with literary devices like metaphors, rhetorical devices are specifically designed to appeal to the reader’s sensibilities. In other words, they make an argument more compelling, memorable, and persuasive by tapping into emotions, logic, credibility, and style.

Common Types of Rhetorical Devices

So what exactly are these mysterious rhetorical devices? There are actually dozens of different techniques, each with its own unique effect. Some of the most common types include:

• Ethos: Appeal to the credibility and character of the speaker
• Pathos: Appeal to the emotions of the audience
• Logos: Appeal to logic and reason
• Repetition: Repeating words or phrases for emphasis
• Analogies: Comparing two things to show similarities
• Rhetorical questions: Asking a question for effect, not an answer

These are just a few examples, but they give you a sense of the variety and power of rhetorical devices. Each one serves a specific purpose in crafting a persuasive message.

Purpose of Using Rhetorical Devices in Writing

Of course, you may be wondering why you should bother with all these rhetorical devices in the first place. Can’t you just say what you mean and call it a day? You certainly could, but if you want your writing to have a real impact, rhetorical devices are key.

The purpose of using rhetorical devices in writing is to:

• Engage the reader’s emotions and imagination
• Make your arguments more memorable and persuasive
• Establish your credibility and authority on the topic
• Add style and flair to your prose

Essentially, rhetorical devices are like secret weapons that help your writing pack a punch. They take your arguments from bland to brilliant by tapping into the power of language.

Of course, like any tool, rhetorical devices must be used skillfully and strategically. You can’t just sprinkle them in willy-nilly and expect your writing to improve. It takes practice and finesse to wield them effectively.

But don’t worry—in the next section, we’ll cover some concrete rhetorical devices examples to help you get started. For now, just remember: rhetorical devices are help give your speech a polished feel. Learn to use them wisely, and your writing will reap the benefits.

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15 Examples of Rhetorical Devices in Literature and Everyday Language

Now that we’ve covered the basics of what rhetorical devices are and why they matter, let’s dive into some specific examples. Once you start looking for them, you can find these devices everywhere, whether it’s in famous speeches, classic literature, pop songs, and even everyday conversations. Let’s dive in.

Rhetorical Questions

A rhetorical question is a question asked for effect, not expecting an answer. These questions are designed to make the reader or listener think, emphasizing a point or provoking an emotional response.

• “If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?” ( The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare)
• “Are you kidding me?” (Everyday speech)

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in a series of words. It creates a rhythmic, musical quality that makes phrases more memorable.

• “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” (Tongue twister)
• “‘Cause, baby, now we got bad blood.” (“Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift)

Another example of a rhetorical device is an allusion. This technique makes an indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work. It relies on the reader’s existing knowledge to make a connection and thus enrich the meaning of the text.

• “I feel like I’m carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.” (Reference to Greek myth of Atlas)
• “If you’re Juliet, then I’m your Romeo.” (Allusion to Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet )

Amplification

Amplification involves repeating a word or expression while adding more detail to clarify meaning. It’s used to emphasize certain points and expand on important ideas.

• “Love, true love, will follow you forever.” ( The Princess Bride )
• “A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” (The Twits by Roald Dahl)

An analogy is a comparison between two things to show their similarities. It helps explain complex ideas by relating them to more familiar concepts.

• “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” ( Forrest Gump )
• “Finding a good man is like finding a needle in a haystack.” (Common expression)

Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. Not only does it create a powerful rhythmic effect, but it also emphasizes key themes or ideas.

• “I have a dream that one day…” (Repeated throughout MLK’s famous speech)
• “It rained on his lousy tombstone, and it rained on the grass on his stomach. It rained all over the place.” (Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger)

Antanagoge involves placing a criticism and compliment together to lessen the impact. It’s a way of simultaneously acknowledging a fault and offering a positive perspective.

• “The car is not pretty, but it runs great.” (Everyday speech)
• “April showers bring May flowers.” (Common expression)

Antimetabole

As you’ve seen in some examples already, rhetorical devices often utilize repetition to create a certain effect. Antimetabole is no different. In order to use this technique, a writer must repeat words or phrases in reverse order for emphasis. The inverted parallelism creates a memorable, catchy effect.

• “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” (JFK’s inaugural address)
• “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” (Common expression)

Antiphrasis

Antiphrasis uses a word with an opposite meaning for ironic or humorous effect. It’s a form of sarcasm or understatement that draws attention to the contrast between what is said and reality.

• “Oh, I love being stuck in traffic.” (Sarcastic everyday speech)
• “I was awakened by the dulcet tones of Frank, the morning doorman, alternately yelling my name, ringing my doorbell, and pounding on my apartment door…” ( Filthy Rich by Dorothy Samuels)

Antithesis juxtaposes two contrasting ideas in parallel structure. The stark contrast not only emphasizes the conflict between the ideas but also adds vibrancy to the language.

• “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” (Neil Armstrong)
• “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” (Alexander Pope)

An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it. It adds both extra details and context about the original noun.

• “My brother, a talented musician, taught himself guitar.” (Everyday speech)
• “Mr. Knightley, a sensible man about seven or eight-and-thirty, was not only a very old and intimate friend of the family, but particularly connected with it, as the elder brother of Isabella’s husband.” ( Emma by Jane Austen)

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words. Much like alliteration, it creates a musical or rhythmic effect that can make language more memorable.

• “The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.” (Song lyric from My Fair Lady )
• “Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite.” (Common expression)

Asyndeton refers to a practice in literature whereby the author purposely leaves out conjunctions in the sentence, while maintaining the grammatical accuracy of the phrase. It helps speed up the rhythm of the prose being constructed.

• “I came, I saw, I conquered.” (Julius Caesar)
• “Live, laugh, love.” (Everyday expression)

Cacophony is the use of words with sharp, harsh, hissing, and unmelodious sounds—primarily those of consonants—in order to achieve desired results. For instance, the author might be trying to create a spooky atmosphere or engage the reader’s auditory senses.

• “My stick fingers click with a snicker/And, chuckling, they knuckle the keys.” (“Player Piano” by John Updike)
• “Beware the Jabberwock, my son./The jaws that bite, the claws that catch.” (“Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll)

Chiasmus is a “two-part sentence or phrase, where the second part is a reversal of the first.” As you may notice from the examples below, this rhetorical device is strikingly similar to antimetabole. However, whereas antimetabole uses the same or similar wording in reverse, chiasmus merely “mirrors related concepts by repeating elements of a sentence.” As a result, chiasmus allows for a bit more freedom of expression while still creating a parallel sentence structure.

• “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.” (Billy Joel)
• “Genuine righteousness leads to life, but the pursuit of evil brings death.” (Proverbs 11:19)

As you can see, rhetorical devices can be found anywhere, from political speeches to pop songs to everyday expressions. By understanding how these techniques work, you can harness their power in your own writing and speech.

How to Effectively Use Rhetorical Devices in Your Writing

Mastering the art of using rhetorical devices can take your writing to the next level. In order to truly harness the power of rhetorical devices, however, you need to approach them strategically and with purpose. Let’s break it down.

Identify Your Purpose

Before you start adding rhetorical devices to your writing, take a step back and consider your purpose. What do you want to achieve with your piece? Are you trying to persuade your audience, evoke emotion, or simply inform them? When you understand your goal, you can choose the most appropriate devices to support your message.

Choose Appropriate Devices

Once you’ve identified your purpose, it’s time to select the rhetorical devices that will best serve your writing. This is where really understanding the different types of devices comes in handy. For example, if you want to create a sense of urgency, you might opt for rhetorical devices such as repetition or hyperbole . If you’re aiming to establish credibility, then you might lean towards allusion or ethos .

Use Them Sparingly

While using rhetorical devices is a great way to make your speeches shine, it’s important not to go overboard. In fact, overusing these techniques can actually weaken your writing and make it feel gimmicky or insincere. Instead, use them sparingly and strategically, like a chef adding just the right amount of seasoning to enhance a dish.

Ensure Clarity

While rhetorical devices can add depth and impact to your writing, they should never come at the expense of clarity. Your audience should still be able to easily understand your message, even with the added flourishes. If a device is making your writing confusing or convoluted, then it’s time to rethink its use.

Practice and Revise

Like any skill, effectively using rhetorical devices takes practice. When you write, experiment with different techniques and see how they impact your work. Don’t be afraid to revise and refine your use of devices as you go. Over time, you’ll develop a keen sense of when and how to deploy these powerful tools for maximum impact.

By following these guidelines and continually honing your craft, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of using rhetorical devices in your writing. Remember, the goal is not to show off your literary prowess, but rather to enhance your message and engage your audience on a deeper level.

The Impact of Rhetorical Devices on Audience Engagement

If you’re looking for ways to engage your audience, then rhetorical devices are great examples of how to do so effectively. But that’s not all that they can do. Rhetorical devices can also create emphasis, evoke emotions, enhance memorability, and establish credibility. If you’re a writer, then understanding the impact these techniques can have on your audience is crucial.

Creating Emphasis

One of the most powerful ways rhetorical devices engage audiences is by creating emphasis. Rhetorical devices like repetition, amplification, and antithesis, for example, can highlight key ideas or arguments, making them stand out in the reader’s mind. By strategically emphasizing certain points, you can guide your audience’s attention and ensure your most important messages hit home.

Evoking Emotions

Rhetorical devices are also incredibly effective at evoking emotions in your audience. Whether you want to inspire, motivate, or persuade, techniques like metaphor , hyperbole, and rhetorical questions can tap into your reader’s feelings and create a powerful emotional connection. And when your audience feels something, they’re more likely to stay engaged and invested in your message.

Enhancing Memorability

If you want someone to remember your speech, then rhetorical devices are crucial. Techniques such as alliteration, assonance, and chiasmus create a sense of rhythm and balance in your writing. By crafting passages with these rhetorical devices, you can ensure that your ideas don’t just sound good, but also linger long after your audience has finished reading.

Establishing Credibility

Finally, rhetorical devices can play a crucial role in establishing your credibility as a writer. By skillfully employing techniques such as allusion, ethos, and logos, you demonstrate your expertise and authority on a subject. When your audience perceives you as knowledgeable and trustworthy, they’re more likely to engage with your ideas and take your message to heart.

By understanding the impact of rhetorical devices on audience engagement and using them effectively in your writing, you can take your work to new heights. Whether you’re crafting a persuasive essay, a compelling blog post, or a powerful speech, these techniques are your secret weapon for captivating your audience and leaving a lasting impression. So go forth and wield them wisely.

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Examples of Rhetorical Devices in Famous Speeches

Throughout history, great orators and writers have used rhetorical devices in order to captivate their audiences and drive home their points. Below are several famous speeches and essays that showcase the power of these techniques. So if you are looking for examples of how to use rhetorical devices effectively, then you’ve come to the right place.

“The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” is a short speech, but it packs a rhetorical punch. In just a few minutes, Lincoln manages to honor the fallen soldiers, reaffirm the principles of the Declaration of Independence, and call on his audience to dedicate themselves to the unfinished work of the war.

One of the key devices Lincoln uses is antithesis, the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas. “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here,” he says, contrasting the fleeting nature of words with the permanence of actions.

Lincoln also employs epistrophe  (the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses) when he says, “of the people, by the people, for the people.” This technique drives home the central theme of the speech: that the war was fought in order to preserve a government based on popular sovereignty.

“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King, Jr.

One of the most iconic speeches in American history, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” is a masterclass in the use of rhetorical devices. Throughout the speech, King employs techniques like anaphora, allusion, and metaphor to paint a vivid picture of his vision for a more just and equal society.

The well-known line from King’s speech “I have a dream” illustrates the power of anaphora, as it is repeated throughout his speech in order to emphasize his wish for equality. King also makes use of allusion, referencing the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and the Bible to tie his message to the larger American and Christian traditions. In addition, his metaphors, like “the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity,” make abstract concepts concrete and emotionally resonant.

“We Shall Fight on the Beaches” by Winston Churchill

Delivered at a time when Britain stood alone against the might of Nazi Germany, Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech is a stirring call to arms. Churchill uses a variety of rhetorical devices to inspire his audience and project confidence in the face of overwhelming odds.

One of the most prominent devices in the speech is anaphora. Churchill repeats the phrase “we shall fight” multiple times, each time in a different context: “we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air.” This repetition hammers home the message of defiance and determination.

Churchill also makes use of metaphor, comparing the British Empire and its allies to “the old lion” and Nazi Germany to “the new and terrible enemy.” These vivid images help to paint the conflict in stark, almost mythic terms.

“Friends, Romans, Countrymen” by William Shakespeare

Though not a real-life speech, Mark Antony’s funeral oration in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is a fictional example of rhetorical mastery. Antony’s speech is a brilliant manipulation of the crowd’s emotions, turning them against Brutus and the other conspirators and inciting them to riot.

One of Antony’s key techniques is irony. Throughout the speech, he repeatedly refers to Brutus as an “honorable man,” while providing evidence that contradicts this characterization. This irony helps to undermine Brutus’s credibility and cast doubt on his motives.

Antony also makes effective use of pathos, the appeal to emotion . He shows the crowd Caesar’s wounded body and reads his will, which leaves money to the citizens of Rome. These actions stir up feelings of grief and gratitude in the crowd, making them more receptive to Antony’s message.

These famous speeches demonstrate the power of rhetorical devices to shape opinion, stir emotion, and even change the course of history. When we study how great orators and writers have used these techniques, we can learn to communicate our own ideas more effectively and persuasively.

FAQs on Rhetorical Devices

What is an example of a rhetorical device.

Anaphora, the repetition of words at the start of successive phrases, helps create emotional impact. Think MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

What are the three most common rhetorical devices?

Alliteration, metaphor, and hyperbole top the list.

What is an example of a rhetorical technique?

Antithesis pairs opposites to highlight contrast. For instance, the statement “to err is human; to forgive, divine” employs antithesis.

The magic of effective communication often lies in mastering various rhetorical devices. Whether you’re crafting an inspiring speech or penning a thought-provoking essay, understanding these tools is crucial.

You’ve now seen how simple yet impactful techniques such as metaphors, analogies, and antitheses enrich our language. These aren’t just academic exercises; they’re practical strategies you can apply today. So as you write your next piece, remember to create emphasis with repetition, evoke emotions with vivid imagery, and add rhythm with alliteration. Happy writing!

• Last Updated: July 3, 2024

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Stylistic Devices

Common stylistic devices in english.

Stylictic devices (also known as rhetorical devices or figures of speech) help to craft lively and interesting texts. We use them to grab and keep the reader or listener’s attention. Click on the tabs below to find explanations and examples of the more common rhetorical devices. They are useful for analysing texts as well as for writing your own essays, speeches etc.

Alliteration

repetition of initial consonant sound

Alliteration is the repetition of the initial sound of two neighbouring words or words that are near each other in a sentence (i.e. connected by a conjunction or preposition ). Alliteration is often used for emphasis because it draws attention to a phrase.

Repetition of initial consonant sound means that only the sound has to be the same, but not the actual consonant.

If two words start with the same letter but have a different initial sound, the words are not alliterated.

Be careful not to confuse alliteration with assonance!

See: → Assonance

indirect reference to a person, event or piece of literature

Allusion is reference to a person, place or thing (e.g. historical event, idea etc.). Note that allusion works best when it is short and refers to something the reader is already familiar with, such as:

• famous people
• historic events
• (Greek) mythology

When an audience is already familiar with a person/event then context and background will be clear to them. Thus, a few words are enough to conjure an image (often an entire scene) in the reader/listener’s mind. Allusion has the following advantages:

• Lengthy explanations can be avoided.
• The reader/listener actively engages in the analogy.
• The message sticks in the reader’s mind.

Allusion to the Vietnam war; often used in connection with the Iraq war.

Allusion to the Trojan warriors in the Trojan horse form Greek mythology.

Many allusions to historic events, mythology or the bible have become well-known idiomatic sayings.

Allusion to Achilles from Greek mythology who was invincible, except for one weak spot. His heel.

Allusion to the story of the merciful Samaritan from the New Testament.

Allusion to character of Romeo from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet who romantically declares his love for Juliet.

Allusion to Andy Warhol’s famous saying in which he remarks that everybody will be famous for 15 minutes.

successive clauses or sentences that star with the same word(s)

The same word or phrase is used to begin successive clauses or sentences . Thus, the reader's/listener's attention is drawn directly to the message of the sentence.

Anaphora is often used together with parallelism.

* Source: US President Barack Obama’s second inaugural speech on 21st January 2013 in Washington, D.C., USA.

contrasting relationship between two ideas

Antithesis emphasises the contrast between two ideas. The structure of the phrases or clauses is usually similar in order to draw the audience’s attention directly to the contrast.

having more than one possible meaning

A word, statement or phrase has more than one meaning. Unintentional ambiguity is considered a flaw in writing because it is vague or confusing. However, many writers use ambiguity intentionaly in their work. It can be used to create a deeper meaning and allows the reader/listener to interpret the meaning in their own way, involving them in the text.

Did the attacker use a book to hit the man? Or did the man have a book with him when he was attacked?

It’s not clear whether people who usually drink fresh milk are now drinking powdered milk, or whether the actual people are turning into a powder.

grave (noun) – a place in the ground where someone is burried or grave (adjective) – seriously bad

repetition of vowel sounds

Assonance is the repetition of the vowel sounds of two or more neighbouring words (or words that are near each other in a sentence) but have different initial consonant sounds. Assonance is often used to add rhythm and music to poetry and prose by creating internal rhyme. It makes writing more pleasurable to read and helps to set the mood.

Repetition of the vowel sound means that only the sound has to be the same, but not the actual vowels.

If two words have the same vowel(s) but the sound is different, there is no assonance.

Be careful not to confuse assonance with alliteration !

See: → Alliteration

* Source: The Bee Meeting by Sylvia Plath

reversal of words in two parallel clauses (AB/BA)

Chiasmus, also known as reverse parallelism, is a criss-cross structure in which the words in the second part of two parallel clauses are inverted. Chiasmus usually follows an AB/BA pattern. This figure of speech can be found in many types of writing including advertising, literature, speeches and scripture. It places emphasis on the message and creates powerful, thought-provoking phrases which are easy for the reader/listener to remember.

See: → Parallelism

leaving out parts of a sentence

Ellipsis is a sentence that is not grammatically complete. The meaning of the sentence remains unchanged despite the fact that a word or words have been left out. Ellipsis is not just common in spoken language, it is often used in advertising or newspaper headlines.

Enumeration

listing details

Enumeration is the process of listing details, words or phrases step by step. It clarifies an idea for the reader/listener and helps to avoid ambiguity. Enumeration is used by writers to eloborate on an idea and convey a strong clear message.

*Source: I Have a Dream, speech given by Martin Luther King, Jr., 28 August 1963

nicely phrasing unpleasant information

A polite or indirect way of expressing unpleasant information to avoid saying something harsh or impolite. Euphemism allows a writer to write about things which may be considered socially taboo or inappropriate.

a euphemism for die

a euphemism for overweight

a euphemism for firing people

a euphemism for short

See: → Litote

deliberate exaggeration

Used sparingly, hyperbole effectively draws the attention to a message that you want to emphasise.

Be careful! Don’t overuse hyperbole , otherwise it may not have the effect you want.

Opposite: → Understatement

question raised and answered by the author/speaker

The author/speaker raises a question and also gives an answer to the question. Hypophora is used to get the audience's attention and make them curious. Often the question is raised at the beginning of a paragraph and answered in the course of that paragraph. Hypophora can also be used to introduce a new area of discussion.

See: → Rhetorical question

* Source: “I Have a Dream” Speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. on 28th August 1963 in Washington, D.C.

changing usual word order

Inversion or anastrophe changes the usual order of words in a sentence to create a particular emphasis, rhyme or rhythmic effect. Sentences can be inverted in many different ways including:

• putting an adjective after its noun Example: the ocean blue
• putting a verb before its subject Example: “Wait”, cried the man .
• putting a noun before its preposition Example: oceans between
• swapping the position of the subject and object Example: Lucy was her name .

a form of understatement

Litotes is a form of understatement which uses the negative opposite of a word to weaken or soften a message.

See: → Understatement

figurative expression

Metaphor compares two different things in a figurative sense. Unlike in a simile (A is like B.), the word “like” is not used in metaphor (A is B.).

a metaphor for being nervous

a metaphor for time moving quickly

See: → Simile, Metonymy, Allusion

figurative expression, closely associated with the subject

Metonymy replaces the subject with a figurative expression that is closely associated with it in terms of place, time or background. However, the figurative expression does not refer to a physical part of the subject (see synecdoche ).

US governement/President

A king, queen or members of a royal family.

“Pen” stands for written words and “sword” for physical violence.

See: → Metaphor, Synecdoche

Onomatopoeia

word imitating a sound

The pronunciation of the word imitates a sound. Onomatopoeia is used because it's often difficult to describe sounds. Furthermore, a story becomes more lively and interesting with the use of onomatopoeia .

use of two contradictory terms to describe one thing

An oxymoron uses two words with opposing meaning to describe something. Oxymorons are common in everyday language and they can be amusing if you take a moment to think about the actual meaning of the individual words.

Oxymoron is also found in literature and poetry. It can add drama to writing and cause the reader/listener to consider the meaning of contrasting ideas.

See: → Paradox

Parallelism

parallel sentence structure

Successive clauses or sentences that are similarly structured. This similarity makes it easier for the reader/listener to concentrate on the content of the text rather that the structure.

Note : Parallelism is a useful device for writing instructions. The parallel structure allows the reader to concentrate on the content and the will immediately know what to do (see examples below).

Without parallelism:

• First, open the book.
• Now you have to read the text.
• Look at the pictures.
• The questions have to be answered.

With parallelism:

• Open the book.
• Read the text.
• Answer the questions.

As you can see, the second set of instructions is easier to follow (and remember) than the first set. The change of structure in the first example is confusing and distracts the reader from the content. It might be okay with simple instructions, like the ones we have used here, but following more complex instructions can be really hard if they have not been written in parallel structure.

Parenthesis

additional information

The normal progression of a sentence is interrupted by extra information or explanations enclosed in commas , brackets or dashes . The extra information can be a single word, a phrase or even a sentence .

Note: Emphasis

Depending on the importance attached to it, additional information can be enclosed in brackets, commas or dashes.

Brackets – not important: Sebastian (Mandy’s brother) organised the trip.

Commas - neutral: Sebastian, Mandy’s brother, organised the trip.

Dashes - emphasised: Sebastian – Mandy’s brother – organised the trip.

Personification

attribution of human characteristics to animals, inanimate objects or abstractions

Personification or anthropomorphism is the representation of animals, inanimate objects or abstract concepts as having human characteristics (behaviour, feelings, character etc.). Personification can make a narration more interesting and lively.

repeating words or phrases

Words or phrases are repeated throughout the text to emphasise certain facts or ideas.

* Source: Rain a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Rhetorical Question

question without a direct answer

The author/speaker poses a question , but doesn't answer it directly. The answer, usually yes or no, is seen to be obvious.

Rhetorical questions are used to provoke, emphasise or argue.

See: → Hypophora

* Source: Blowin’ in the wind by Bob Dylan.

direct comparison

Two things are compared directly by using the structure A is like B or A is as … as B .

Other possibilities include:

• A is (not) like B
• A is more/less than B
• A is comparable with B
• A is almost like B
• A is similar to B
• A is …, so is B
• A does …, so does B
• A seems like B

See: → Metaphor

using a part instead of the whole or vice versa

Synechdoche is a kind of generalization or specification that refers to something by using one of its parts. There are differents ways of using synedoche. The following possibilites are common:

A part represents a whole

A whole represents a part, something specific for something general, something general for something specific, a material for a product.

See also: → Metonymy

Understatement

weaken or soften a statement

A statement is deliberately weakened to sound ironic or softened to sound more polite.

Note that understatement is a common feature of the English language in everyday situation. It is especially common in British English.

instead of saying that Tokyo is very expensive

instead of saying that you have a big wound

more polite than saying: It tasted terrible.

Opposite: → Hyperbole

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Literary Techniques for your Speech, with Examples Analyzed

March 2, 2021 - Dom Barnard

Planned use of language has a major impact on how your speech is received by the audience. Saying the right words at the right time, and in the right way, can achieve a specific impact.

Use language to achieve impact

Careful use of language has produced many powerful speeches over the years. Here are a few literary devices you can employ for your next speech.

Rhetorical Questions

Start your next presentation with an open question. It engages the audience and gets them thinking about your speech early on. Use questions throughout and leave pauses after, letting the audience think about an answer.

Pause at the Right Moment

This adds impact to sentence just before or after the pause. This is a good literary technique to use for the key message of your speech. Don’t be afraid to wait 3-5 seconds before speaking, adding maximum impact to your words.

Messages and words are remembered best in groups of three. The power of three is used in all aspects of speaking in public and by the media. Couple words in groups of three with alliteration for maximum impact, such as “They grew up with a long, lasting, love for each other.”

Repeat the Key Point

A technique used frequently by politicians, a word needs to be said on average 5 times before the audience begins to take in what is being said.

Dramatic Contrast

Contrasting two points, such as “Ten years ago we had a reputation for excellence. Today, we are in danger of losing that reputation.”

For additional literary techniques, check out these links:

• Stylistic Devices (Rhetorical Devices, Figures of Speech)
• BBC Literary Techniques

Spend time planning which of these language techniques you will use in your speech. You can add these in after your first draft of the speech has been written.

Two great speeches analyzed

1. martin luther king – i have a dream, transcript snippet.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of “interposition” and “nullification” — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; “and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

Literary devices and techniques used

Anaphora  – Repetition of the “I have a dream” phrase at the beginning of each sentence.

Metonymy  – The phrase “The let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia… Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee… Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi“, King uses these well-known racist locations to enhance his point.

Hyperbole  – King uses the words ‘all’ and ‘every’ many times, exaggerating his point, “when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city”

Alliteration  – used throughout the speech, alliterations add a poetic quality to the speech, for example this sentence “judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

Amplification  – King repeats many of his points a second time, with greater emphasis and explanation the second time, “America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds.”

Speeches which mastered literary techniques

• Martin Luther King, Jr. – I Have A Dream
• Winston Churchill – We shall fight on the beaches
• John F. Kennedy – Inaugural Address
• Margaret Thatcher – The Lady’s Not For Turning
• Barack Obama – The Audacity Of Hope
• Elizabeth Gilbert – Your Creative Genius
• J. K. Rowling – Harvard Commencement Address

For addition detail on these speeches, check out  this article  on speeches that changed the world.

2. Winston Churchill – We shall fight on the beaches

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end.

We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be.

We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.

And if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

Anaphora  – The repetition of the phrase “we shall fight” can be seen in the transcript snippet. This adds dramatic emphases on the words he is saying in these paragraphs.

Alliteration  – Churchill uses repetition of letters to emphasize the dark time Europe was in, “I see also the dull, drilled, docile, brutish masses of the Hun soldiery plodding on like a swarm of crawling locusts” and “your grisly gang who work your wicked will.”

Antistrophe  – The repetition of words at the end of successive sentences, “the love of peace, the toil for peace, the strife for peace, the pursuit of peace“.

Hypophora  – Churchill asks various questions and then answers them himself, “You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air” and “You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word, it is victory”.

Rule of Three  – Churchill uses this literary technique in many of his speeches, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning” and “Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many, to so few”.

Easy to use literary techniques for your next speech

Rhetoric Question

Start your next speech with a rhetoric question – “Who here has used a virtual reality headset?”

Repetition of Phrase

Repeat a key phrase around 5 times throughout the speech, the phrase should be short – “Virtual reality is changing the world”.

Use the Rule of Three

Emphasize a product or service by describing it with three words – “Our software is faster, cheaper and easier to use”. For greatest impact on your audience, combine this with alliteration.

Ask a question then immediately answer it – “How many virtual reality headsets were sold last month? Over 2 million.”

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

What is a rhetorical device and why are they used.

As with all fields of serious and complicated human endeavor (that can be considered variously as an art, a science, a profession, or a hobby), there is a technical vocabulary associated with writing. Rhetoric is the name for the study of writing or speaking as a means of communication or persuasion, and though a writer doesn’t need to know the specific labels for certain writing techniques in order to use them effectively, it is sometimes helpful to have a handy taxonomy for the ways in which words and ideas are arranged. This can help to discuss and isolate ideas that might otherwise become abstract and confusing. As with the word rhetoric itself, many of these rhetorical devices come from Greek.

Ready, set, rhetoric.

The repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables

wild and woolly, threatening throngs

Syntactical inconsistency or incoherence within a sentence especially : a shift in an unfinished sentence from one syntactic construction to another

you really should have—well, what do you expect?

Repetition of a prominent and usually the last word in one phrase or clause at the beginning of the next

rely on his honor—honor such as his?

A literary technique that involves interruption of the chronological sequence of events by interjection of events or scenes of earlier occurrence : flashback

Repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect

we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground

The repetition of a word within a phrase or sentence in which the second occurrence utilizes a different and sometimes contrary meaning from the first

we must all hang together or most assuredly we shall all hang separately

The usually ironic or humorous use of words in senses opposite to the generally accepted meanings

this giant of 3 feet 4 inches

The use of a proper name to designate a member of a class (such as a Solomon for a wise ruler) OR the use of an epithet or title in place of a proper name (such as the Bard for Shakespeare)

The raising of an issue by claiming not to mention it

we won't discuss his past crimes

An expression of real or pretended doubt or uncertainty especially for rhetorical effect

to be, or not to be: that is the question

Harshness in the sound of words or phrases

An inverted relationship between the syntactic elements of parallel phrases

working hard, or hardly working?

A disjunctive conclusion inferred from a single premise

gravitation may act without contact; therefore, either some force may act without contact or gravitation is not a force

The substitution of a disagreeable, offensive, or disparaging expression for an agreeable or inoffensive one

greasy spoon is a dysphemism for the word diner

Repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect

of the people, by the people, for the people

Emphatic repetition [ this definition is taken from the 1934 edition of Webster's Unabridged dictionary ]

An interchange of two elements in a phrase or sentence from a more logical to a less logical relationship

you are lost to joy for joy is lost to you

A transposition or inversion of idiomatic word order

judge me by my size, do you?

Extravagant exaggeration

mile-high ice-cream cones

The putting or answering of an objection or argument against the speaker's contention [ this definition is taken from the 1934 edition of Webster's Unabridged dictionary ]

Understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary

not a bad singer

The presentation of a thing with underemphasis especially in order to achieve a greater effect : UNDERSTATEMENT

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them ( Metaphor vs. Simile )

drowning in money

A figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated

crown as used in lands belonging to the crown

The naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it

A combination of contradictory or incongruous words

cruel kindness

The use of more words than those necessary to denote mere sense : REDUNDANCY

I saw it with my own eyes

A figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by "like" or "as"

cheeks like roses

The use of a word in the same grammatical relation to two adjacent words in the context with one literal and the other metaphorical in sense

she blew my nose and then she blew my mind

A figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole (such as fifty sail for fifty ships ), the whole for a part (such as society for high society ), the species for the genus (such as cutthroat for assassin ), the genus for the species (such as a creature for a man ), or the name of the material for the thing made (such as boards for stage )

The use of a word to modify or govern two or more words usually in such a manner that it applies to each in a different sense or makes sense with only one

opened the door and her heart to the homeless boy

MORE TO EXPLORE: Rhetorical Devices Used in Pop Songs

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Stylistic Devices (Rhetorical Devices, Figures of Speech)

On the following pages, we will explain some of the most important stylistic devices (also called rhetorical devices or figures of speech) – they are not only useful for analysing texts, but also for creating your own texts.

Stylistic devices make your speeches, essays etc. more interesting and lively and help you to get and keep your reader ’ s / listener ’ s attention.

Figure of Speech

Definition of figure of speech.

you fit into me like a hook into an eye a fish hook an open eye

Types of Figures of Speech

Common examples of figures of speech used in conversation, understatement, common examples of figure of speech in writing, personification, writing figure of speech, figure of speech as artistic use of language, figure of speech as entertainment for reader, figure of speech as memorable experience for reader, examples of figure of speech in literature, 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.

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.

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?

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What are Stylistic Devices — How to Elevate Your Writing

S tylistic devices, also known as figures of speech or literary devices, hold a significant role in adding depth, meaning, and artistic quality to pieces of literature. But what are stylistic devices? They are the colors that paint the canvas of prose, poetry, drama, and non-fiction, enhancing the vibrancy of the work and engaging the reader’s senses. Let’s run through the many types with some examples to get a firm grasp of the stylistic devices writers use every single day.

What Are Stylistic Devices in LIterature?

First, let’s define stylistic devices.

Let's delve deeper into the world of stylistic devices, beginning with their defining characteristics.

STYLISTIC DEVICES DEFINITION

What are stylistic devices.

Stylistic devices , also known as literary devices, are powerful techniques employed by writers to produce a specific effect, capturing the imagination of readers and making their writing more engaging. These devices go beyond the mere arrangement of words, as they intricately weave layers of meaning and evoke profound emotional responses. 

By carefully selecting and employing techniques such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, and personification, writers can craft a rich tapestry of language that captivates the senses and leaves a lasting impact on the reader. These artistic embellishments add depth, nuance, and beauty to the written word, elevating the overall quality of the work and making it resonate with readers on a profound level.

What are Stylistic Devices Used For?

Distinctive style, what are stylistic devices used for, functions of stylistic devices.

Stylistic devices play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of writing. They serve multiple functions, each contributing to the overall impact of the text.

Let's explore the more ways in which stylistic devices elevate the expression of thoughts and captivate readers.

Stylistic devices provide emphasis, drawing attention to key elements within the text. By using techniques such as repetition or strong imagery , writers can highlight important ideas or concepts. This ensures that the message is clearly communicated and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Another important function of stylistic devices is to enhance clarity. Through the use of techniques like parallelism or rhetorical questions, writers can structure their sentences in a way that makes complex ideas easier to understand. By employing stylistic devices, writers can effectively convey their thoughts and ensure that the reader grasps the intended meaning.

Stylistic devices add a touch of freshness to writing. By incorporating techniques like similes, metaphors, or personification, writers can bring in creative and imaginative elements that enrich the text. This not only keeps readers engaged but also adds depth and vibrancy to the overall writing style.

Stylistic devices can be used to create a unique writing style. By carefully selecting the appropriate techniques, writers can add their own flair to the text and distinguish themselves from other authors. This not only allows them to express their ideas effectively but also creates an individual voice that resonates with readers. 

Stylistic devices have a profound impact on the quality of writing. They create a sense of uniqueness and individuality, allowing writers to craft their own distinct voice. By employing these devices effectively, writers can evoke emotions, create memorable characters, and transport readers to vivid and captivating worlds.

Related Posts

• What is a Metaphor? →
• What are Literary Devices? →
• Understanding Theme in Literature and Film →

Stylistic Techniques in Writing

Types of stylistic devices.

There are various stylistic literary devices, each serving a specific purpose. Here are ten main types:

1. Simile  

A simile is a direct comparison using 'like' or 'as.' For example, "Her smile is as bright as the sun."

2. Metaphor

A metaphor is an indirect comparison, stating one thing is another. For instance, "Time is a thief, stealing precious moments."

3. Hyperbole

A hyperbole is an exaggeration used for emphasis. Like saying, "I've told you a million times."

4. Personification

Personification is a literary device that attributes human characteristics to non-human entities. As in, "The wind whispered secrets in my ear."

Irony conveys a meaning opposite to the literal one. Such as, "It's raining on my wedding day, how ironic."

6. Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds. Like, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

7. Assonance

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. For example, "The fat cat sat on the mat."

8. Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is the use of words that imitate sounds. Like, "Buzz, hiss, pop."

9. Oxymoron

An oxymoron combines contradictory terms for effect. Such as, "Jumbo shrimp" or "Bittersweet."

10. Euphemism

A euphemism substitutes a mild or indirect expression for something unpleasant or harsh. For instance, "He passed away" instead of "He died."

These examples showcase the versatility of stylistic devices in enhancing language and expression.

Stylistic Devices Examples

Examples of stylistic devices.

Writers of various mediums employ stylistic devices.  Let's explore the different types of devices used in literature, poetry, and speeches.

"Moby Dick" by Herman Melville 

In "Moby Dick," Melville employs various stylistic devices, enhancing the narrative's depth and emotion. For instance, in the opening line, "Call me Ishmael," Melville uses a metaphor. Ishmael is not the narrator's real name, but it represents a character forced to wander, like the biblical Ishmael. 

"Call me Ishmael. Some years ago — never mind how long precisely..."

Metaphor : The use of "Ishmael" as a metaphor creates a persona representing wanderers and outcasts.

"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe 

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" is renowned for its use of stylistic devices. For example, Poe employs alliteration in the quote, "And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain."

"And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain..."

Alliteration : The repetition of the 's' sound in "silken, sad, uncertain" and the 'c' sound in "curtain" create a soothing, melodious effect in this haunting poem.

"I Have a Dream" by Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech is a masterpiece of rhetoric, abounding in stylistic devices. King uses anaphora, repeating the phrase "I have a dream" to emphasize his vision for a future of racial equality.

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed..."

Anaphora : The repetition of "I have a dream" at the beginning of successive lines underscores the speaker's vision and determination for a racially equal society.

Every one of these artistic techniques contributes a distinctive flair to the language being employed, captivating the reader's imagination and rendering the text more memorable.

What are Literary Devices?

Stylistic devices enhance the form and tone of a narrative, but literary devices serve a broader purpose. In our next article, we'll explore how these tools enrich storytelling and can help deepen readers' understanding and appreciation of a text.

Up Next: Literary Devices →

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Last updated on Jan 19, 2024

45 Rhetorical Devices: Your Secret Writing Weapons [Download Cheatsheet]

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Dario Villirilli

Editor-in-Chief of the Reedsy blog, Dario is a graduate of Mälardalen University. As a freelance writer, he has written for many esteemed outlets aimed at writers. A traveler at heart, he can be found roaming the world and working from his laptop.

Chances are, you use rhetorical devices every day of your life. Some, like similes and metaphors, you may already know about but others, maybe not. (When was the last time you consciously deployed bdelygmia ?)

In this post, we’re going to show you 45 rhetorical devices that you can use to level-up your writing and speech. 

What are rhetorical devices?

Rhetorical devices (also known as stylistic devices, persuasive devices, or simply rhetoric) are techniques or language used to convey a point or convince an audience. And they're used by everyone: politicians, businesspeople, and even your favorite novelists.

While there’s some overlap with literary devices ( metaphors, parallelism, etc. ) — those are mainly used to express ideas artistically. Rhetoric, however, appeals to the reader or audience’s sensibilities in four specific ways:

• Logos , an appeal to logic;
• Pathos , an appeal to emotion ;
• Ethos , an appeal to ethics; or,
• Kairos , an appeal to time.

These categories haven’t changed since the Ancient Greeks first identified them thousands of years ago. But don't let their fancy Greek names fool you — they're pretty simple to use. 

FREE RESOURCE

Rhetorical Device Cheatsheet

Improve your powers of persuasion by mastering these 35 devices.

Your Ultimate List of Rhetorical Devices

1. accismus .

Accismus is the rhetorical refusal of something one actually wants, to try and convince themselves or others of a different opinion.

Example: I’m fine! I didn’t want to win that gold medal anyway!

2. Adnomination

Adnomination is the use of multiple words with the same root in the same sentence. Like many other rhetorical devices, this is a linguistic trick to make statements sound more persuasive.

Example: Somewhere, somewhen, somehow, we’ll find an answer to that question. 

3. Adynaton

Adynata are purposefully hyperbolic metaphors to suggest that something is impossible — such as the classic saying, “when pigs fly”. And hyperbole, of course, is a rhetorical device in and of itself: an excessively exaggerated statement for effect.

Example: I wouldn’t date him if he was the last man on Earth! 

4. Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of consonants across s uccessive, s tressed s yllables… get it? This most often means repeating consonants at the beginning of multiple words, as opposed to consonance , which is the repetition of consonants anywhere in consecutive words. (Learn more about the difference between alliteration and consonance — and other types of repetition — in this guide !)

Example: Edgar Allan Poe’s makes use of both alliteration and consonance in “The Raven”: 

“ And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain.”

“Silken” and “sad” are alliterative, but the consonance continues into “uncertain” and “rustling.” And as a bonus, it contains assonance — the repetition of vowel sounds — across “purple curtain.”

5. Anacoluthon

An anacoluthon is a misdirection that challenges listeners and/or readers to think deeply and question their assumptions.

Example: The opening sentence of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis is a famous anacoluthon because it ends somewhere entirely different than where it started: 

“When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.”

Note that anacoluthons are different from non-sequiturs , which are unintentional and incoherent — well, but can anything really be different from anything else?

6. Anadiplosis

Anadiplosis is the repetition of the word from the end of one sentence to the beginning of the next. It has been used by everyone from Shakespeare to Yeats to Yoda. 

Example: As Yoda laments in Stars Wars: The Phantom Menace : “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

7. Anaphora

Another type of repetition, anaphora, is the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of subsequent sentences.

Example: Though Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” is best known for its opening line, we'll skip to the next part of the poem, where he uses the word 'who' to keep a run-on sentence going. 

“ Who poverty and tatters and hollow-eyed and high sat up smoking in the supernatural darkness of cold-water flats floating across the tops of cities contemplating jazz, who bared their brains to Heaven under the El and saw Mohammedan angels staggering on tenement roofs illuminated, who passed through universities with radiant cool eyes hallucinating Arkansas and Blake-light tragedy among the scholars of war…”

Another similar rhetorical device is epistrophe : the repetition of words at the end of sentences. And, if you combine the two, you’ve got a symploce .

8. Antanagoge

Antanagoge involves responding to an allegation with a counter-allegation that reframes the situation. Antanagoge doesn't necessarily solve the initial problem, but it does provide an appealing alternative. 

Example: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” 🍋

People unconsciously use antanagoge all the time to justify things to themselves: “Well, it's raining today, but that's fine — I wanted to stay inside anyway.”

9. Anthimeria

Anthimeria is the intentional misuse of one word’s part of speech, such as using a noun for a verb. It’s been around for centuries, but is frequently used in the modern day, as “Instagramming” and “adulting” have seamlessly become part of the lexicon.

Example: “Have you tried Googling that?”

10. Antiphrasis

Antiphrasis is a sentence or phrase that means the opposite of what it appears to say. Like how the idiom, “Tell me about it” generally means, “Don’t tell me about it — I already know.” It’s a subset of a much more common rhetorical device : irony .

Example: “Take your time. We’ve got all day.” 

11. Antithesis

Antithesis is when contrasting ideas or concepts are placed next to each other in a parallel grammatical structure. It doesn’t merely point out that they’re different, but emphasizes the stark contrast between them. 

Example: “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

12. Antonomasia

Antonomasia is, essentially, a rhetorical name. Like “Old Blue Eyes,” “The Boss,” or “The Fab Four” — affectionate epithets that take the place of proper names like Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, or the Beatles.

Example: For his contributions to the English language, Shakespeare is also known as “the Bard.” 

13. Apophasis

Apophasis — also known as paralipsis, occupatio, praeteritio, preterition, or parasiopesis —  is when you bring up a subject by denying that it should be brought up. As you might have noticed by now, this is one of many rhetorical devices to stem from irony. It’s a powerful type of rhetoric and when used right, creates a memorable effect.  

Example: This is a classic, if oft-maligned, political tactic and one frequently utilized by Donald Trump when he was the 45th President of the United States, particularly in his colorful tweets. For example: 

“Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me 'old,' when I would NEVER call him 'short and fat?'”

14. Apostrophe

Apostrophe is very simply when a speaker is addressing someone that is either dead, not present, or an inanimate object. If you’re very creative, it can even be all three at once! It comes from the classic Greek for “turning away” — and can be seen quite often in stage plays.

Example: In the gravedigger scene in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the titular Prince of Denmark discovers the bones of a long-dead court jester he used to play with as a child and — for a brief moment — he addresses the skull. “Alas, poor Yorick.”

Aporia is the rhetorical expression of doubt — almost always insincerely. This is a common tool that businesses use to connect with a consumer base, typically in ads or presentations.

Example: For instance, take Steve Jobs’ introduction of touchscreen technology. 

“Now, how are we gonna communicate this? We don’t wanna carry around a mouse, right? What are we gonna do?”

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16. Aposiopesis

Aposiopesis is essentially the rhetorical version of trailing off at the end of your sentence, leaving your listener (or reader) hanging.

Example: At the end of the “Queen Mab” speech in Romeo and Juliet , Mercutio has spun a tale about a fairy queen — demonstrating his own free-wheeling, romantic nature that builds into a breathless crescendo that can only end with…

“This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs,

That presses them and learns them first to bear,

Making them women of good carriage:

This is she…”

17. Asterismos

Asterismos is simply a phrase beginning with an exclamation. Like every other sentence in Moby-Dick : “Book! You lie there; the fact is, you books must know your places.” But if no sentence follows, it's an exclamation : an emphatic expression like “My word!” that warrants no follow-up.

Example: Good heavens! What’s happened here?

18. Asyndeton

Asyndeton is the removal of conjunctions like “or,” “and,” or “but” from your writing because the sentence flows better, or more poetically, without them.

Example: This is a favorite technique of Cormac McCarthy, as seen in this passage from Out Dark :

“A parson was laboring over the crest of the hill and coming toward them with one hand raised in blessing, greeting, fending flies.”

And like most of the enigmatic author’s preferred rhetoric, this asyndeton is almost intentionally confusing; whether the parson is blessing or greeting or swatting flies is never clarified.

At other times, McCarthy uses polysyndeton , essentially asyndeton's opposite — adding extra conjunctions (“and then we walked and then we stopped and then we sat on the ground”).

19. Bdelygmia

Befitting its harsh spelling, bdelygmia (or abominatio) is a rhetorical insult — the uglier and more elaborate, the better. Like most rhetorical devices, Shakespeare was a big fan. As was Doctor Seuss. 

Example: Doctor Seuss goes all out with bdelygmia in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Just take a look at this passage:

“You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch, You're a nasty wasty skunk, Your heart is full of unwashed socks, your soul is full of gunk, Mr. Grinch. The three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote, ‘Stink, stank, stunk!’”

20. Cacophony

Cacophony is simply the use of words that sound bad together. Though some might call it bad writing, this can be used for intentional effect.

Example: For his poem, “Jabberwocky,” Lewis Carroll invented more than a few words for the purpose of sounding harsh and unmelodious:

“’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.”

This is the antithesis (see above) of euphony — the use of words that sound good together, like this passage from an Emily Dickinson verse :

“Oars divide the Ocean, / Too silver for a seam.”

21. Chiasmus

Chiasmus is the repetition and/or reversal of words or grammatical structure across two phrases. 

Example: A great example of chiasmus can be found in this excerpt from Mary Leapor’s Essay on Woman: 

“Despised, if ugly; if she's fair, betrayed.”

More specific is antimetabole : the switching of words or phrases to suggest truth. (Ask not what rhetorical devices can do for you. Ask what you can do for rhetorical devices.)

Narrative arcs aren’t just for novels. Sentences can have a climax , too — the initial words and clauses build to a peak , saving the most important point for last. We’ve been using climaxes rhetorically since at least the days of the bible.

Example: “ There are three things that will endure: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” — Corinthians 13:13

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23. Colloquialism 

Despite its grand name, colloquialism is when informal, everyday language and expressions are used in writing. This encompasses everything from slang to proverbs to writing out a regional dialect. It adds flavor and can reveal a lot about the characters and setting of a story.

Example: “Ya’ll better behave yourselves tonight!”

24. Connotation

Connotation is when a word has a literal meaning as well as an underlying feeling or idea attached to it. Essentially, this is when words themselves have an unspoken subtext to them. These underlying meanings can be positive or negative, but they can change how we view the subject. 

Example: “ The stench of her cooking filled the house” (negative connotation) vs. “The aroma of her cooking filled the house” (positive connotation).

25. Dysphemism

Dysphemism is a description that is explicitly offensive to its subject or audience. It stands in contrast to a euphemism , which strives to avoid outright offense, but nonetheless has unfortunate connotations. Most racial epithets started as the latter, but are recognized today as the former.

Example: Consider the differences in these two descriptions. “Harry is a thin-necked pencil-pusher with a rat’s nest of a quiff.” (dysphemism) vs. “Harry is a slim office worker with tousled hair.” (euphemism).  

26. Ellipsis

Ellipsis is when a word is deliberately omitted from a sentence to achieve a specific effect. This can be done with or without the use of ellipsis, which are three dots like this “...” (and incidentally, what this rhetorical device is named for). Sometimes, this is used for poetic effect and other times it’s used to present the most important information while acknowledging that some things are being left out. 

Example : “I only left my family because… I had my reasons.”

27. Epizeuxis

Epizeuxis is a type of repetition where a word or phrase is repeated in quick succession with no other words in between. It’s highly effective for placing emphasis on an idea and inspiring a reader. 

Example: One of the most famous examples of Epizeuxis can be found in the classic sitcom, The Brady Bunch , where Jan is fed-up of living in the shadow of her older sister.

“All I hear all day long at school is how great Marcia is at this, or how wonderful Marcia did that. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!”

28. Eutrepismus

Like most rhetorical devices, you’ve likely seen eutrepismus in action before, but didn’t know it had a name. This is simply when the points you’re trying to make are stated in a numbered list. It provides a way to separate your thoughts and present ideas in a clear, concise way. 

Example: To make a cake, first you need to gather ingredients. Second, you need to mix them together properly. Third, you must put it in the oven to bake.

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29. Hyperbaton

Hyperbaton is when you rearrange the order of words in a sentence to provide a particular emphasis. It calls attention to itself, which is often why hyperbaton phrases are memorable: they force a reader to stop and think about the strangeness of a phrase as they try to figure out what it means. 

Example: “ Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire.” — The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe

30. Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition is when two opposing thoughts or ideas are presented side by side to highlight their differences. Comparison can be a great way to build an argument or present themes, which is why you see this device used so often.

Example: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” — Anna Karenina , Leo Tolstoy

This device is often used in haiku poetry, where it's common to j uxtapose two images to evoke emotions . For example: 

“a blind musician

extending an old tin cup

collects a snowflake” 一 Nick Virgilio

31. Litotes

Litotes is an ironic figure of speech used to express an understatement by negating its contrary. If you see words like “not” or “wasn’t” or any other kind of negation and an undertone of sarcasm, you’re probably dealing with litotes. While this can often be used in a negative way, litotes can also be used to express positive understatements. 

Example: It’s not the worst book in the world. 

32. Meiosis

If you’ve ever understated something before, that’s meiosis — like the assertion that Britain is simply “across the pond” from the Americas. 

Example: You might recognize this rhetorical device from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. When the black knight has his leg cut off, he underplays its severity. “‘Tis but a flesh wound!” he says, hopping on his one remaining leg.  

The opposite of meiosis — rhetorical exaggeration — is called auxesis .

33. Metanoia

Metanoia is a self-correction in speech or writing that expresses the idea in a good — no, a “better” way than the original. It can function a bit like an afterthought, but can also put emphasis on a thought by amplifying or softening it. 

Example : This restaurant is the best spot in the city — actually, no, in the entire tri-state area!

34. Onomatopoeia

Wham! Pow! Crunch! These are all examples of onomatopoeia , a word for a sound that phonetically resembles the sound itself. This means the finale of the 1966 Batman is the most onomatopoeic film scene of all time.

Example: The gun went off with a bang. 

35. Oxymoron

An oxymoron is when words with opposing definitions are used together to create contradictory phrases that, while at first seem nonsensical, actually are sharply observant or incisive. You can even think of oxymorons as a micro form of juxtaposition.

Example: The room existed in a state of organized chaos. 

36. Parenthesis

Parenthesis is when a word or phrase is inserted or interjects a sentence to provide additional clarity or detail, or even go on a tangent. You don’t have to use parentheses to achieve this effect, despite its name. Commas, brackets, and dashes can all be used in parenthesis. 

Example: It’s true that she often cuts class (though it isn’t for the typical reasons one would imagine.) 

37. Parallelism

Parallelism is when a pattern of words repeats within a sentence, phrase, or paragraph. This creates a pleasing rhythm, and suggests to the listener that each of the parallel statements are of equal importance or validity. In many cases, parallelism can let statements build on each other and accumulate into a final powerful statement.

Example: “We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall never surrender.” — Winston Churchill

38. Personification

Personification describes things and concepts using human characteristics. It's easier for humans to understand a concept when it’s directly related to them, which is why this is such an effective rhetorical device!

Personification appears in almost all forms of literature — even simple sentences like "the alarm screamed" or "the wind howled" would qualify as personification. 

Example: The train roared down the tracks and into the station. 

39. Pleonasm

Pleonasms are redundant phrases that emphasize the nature of the subject. Certain words are so overused that they’ve lost meaning — darkness, nice, etc. However, “black darkness” or “pleasantly nice” reinvigorate that meaning, even if the phrases are technically redundant.

Example: The burning fire flickered merrily in the hearth. 

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40. Rhetorical comparisons

Some of the most prevalent rhetorical devices are figures of speech that compare one thing to another. Two of these, you surely know: the simile and the metaphor . But there is a third, hypocatastasis , that is just as common… and useful. The distinctions between the three are pretty simple as you’ll see in the example below. 

Example: A simile compares two things using like or as: “You are like a monster.” A metaphor compares them by asserting that they’re the same: “You're a monster.” And with hypocatastasis, the comparison itself is implied: “Monster!”

If you can't get enough rhetorical comparisons, check out these 90+ examples of metaphors in literature and pop culture!

41. Rhetorical question

You’ve probably heard of rhetorical questions : they are questions asked to make a point rather than to be answered. Technically, this figure of speech is called interrogatio, but plenty of other rhetorical devices take the form of questions.

Example: “Don’t you want to be a millionaire?”

If you pose a rhetorical question just to answer it yourself, that’s hypophora . And if your rhetorical question infers or asks for a large audience’s opinion, that’s anacoenosis — though it generally doesn’t warrant an answer, either.

42. Synecdoche

Synecdoche is a rhetorical device wherein a part of one thing represents its whole. This differs slightly from metonymy , in which a single thing represents a larger institution.

Example : If you referred to an old king as “greybeard,” that would be synecdoche. If you referred to him as “the crown,” it would be metonymy.

43. Synesthesia

Like the neurological condition of the same name, synesthesia is when a sense is described using the terms of another. So if you’re smelling colors or seeing sounds, you’re employing the techniques of synesthesia in your writing. 

Example: The music sounded like green and pink and purple. 

Have you ever, in a fit of outrage, referred to something un-effing-believable? If you have, congratulations on discovering tmesis : the separation of one word into two parts, with a third word placed in between for emphasis.

Example: Well, that’s just fan-freaking-tastic!

Zeugma , also called syllepsis, places two nouns with different meanings in a similar position in a sentence. This is a grammatical trick that can be used rhetorically as well.

Example: Mark Twain, the bard of the Mississippi himself, was a master at deploying zeugma:

“ They covered themselves with dust and glory.”

Though you'd “cover” yourself with these things in very different ways, the phrase still works because the same verb applies to both. Authors often use zeugma in clever wordplay, sometimes even entering everyday conversation. (My grandmother, for example, uses zeugma to describe staticky clothing: “This shirt attracts everything but a man.”)

Download Cheatsheet

Congrats on getting to the end of our rhetorical devices list! Of course, this might feel a bit like a list of fancy names for things you already do. If so, that’s great — you’re already well on your way to mastering the art of rhetoric. And if you need a little help remembering them, we’ve created this handy cheatsheet so you can have all your definitions in one place.

7 responses

nadaid says:

06/11/2019 – 01:45

↪️ Vic replied:

05/12/2019 – 03:37

An oxymoron creates a two-word paradox-such as "near miss" or "seriously funny." An oxymoron is sometimes called a contradiction in terms and is most often used for dramatic effect.

↪️ AtreidesOne replied:

18/08/2020 – 04:38

With "near miss", it's all about different senses of the word and the contexts they're used in.Yes, near can mean "almost", as in "a near perfect fit". So in that sense, a "near failure", or a "near disaster" means that the failure or disaster almost happened. They were "close", but only in a figurative sense. However, near can also mean "at or to a short distance away; nearby", as in "a bomb exploded near the house". This is a physical distance sense. When we're talking about a "miss", we're using the physical distance sense. So "near miss" doesn't mean "it nearly missed" or "it nearly was a miss", but instead "it missed by a small distance".So there is no oxymoron.

↪️ bruh replied:

08/12/2019 – 21:42

Denise Hidalgo says:

26/12/2019 – 14:19

Why aren't analepsis and prolepsis on this otherwise comprehensive list?!?

↪️ OK BOOMER replied:

27/01/2020 – 10:56

analepsis is for literary devices. prolepsis should have been here tho

↪️ Name replied:

12/02/2020 – 20:05

Because they're not JOHN

Comments are currently closed.

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Literary Devices & Terms

An acrostic is a piece of writing in which a particular set of letters—typically the first letter of each line, word, or paragraph—spells out a word or phrase with special significance to the text. Acrostics... (read full acrostic explanation with examples) An acrostic is a piece of writing in which a particular set of letters—typically the first letter of each line,... (read more)

An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The Tortoise and The Hare" is a well-known allegory with a... (read full allegory explanation with examples) An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and... (read more)

Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “Bob brought the box of bricks to the basement.” The repeating sound... (read full alliteration explanation with examples) Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the... (read more)

In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas, and they do so in... (read full allusion explanation with examples) In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly allude to... (read more)

An anachronism is a person or a thing placed in the wrong time period. For instance, if a novel set in Medieval England featured a trip to a movie-theater, that would be an anachronism. Although... (read full anachronism explanation with examples) An anachronism is a person or a thing placed in the wrong time period. For instance, if a novel set... (read more)

Anadiplosis is a figure of speech in which a word or group of words located at the end of one clause or sentence is repeated at or near the beginning of the following clause or... (read full anadiplosis explanation with examples) Anadiplosis is a figure of speech in which a word or group of words located at the end of one... (read more)

An analogy is a comparison that aims to explain a thing or idea by likening it to something else. For example, a career coach might say, "Being the successful boss or CEO of a company... (read full analogy explanation with examples) An analogy is a comparison that aims to explain a thing or idea by likening it to something else. For... (read more)

An anapest is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which two unstressed syllables are followed by a stressed syllable. The word "understand" is an anapest, with the unstressed syllables of "un" and "der" followed... (read full anapest explanation with examples) An anapest is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which two unstressed syllables are followed by a stressed syllable.... (read more)

Anaphora is a figure of speech in which words repeat at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences. For example, Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech contains anaphora: "So let freedom... (read full anaphora explanation with examples) Anaphora is a figure of speech in which words repeat at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences. For... (read more)

An antagonist is usually a character who opposes the protagonist (or main character) of a story, but the antagonist can also be a group of characters, institution, or force against which the protagonist must contend.... (read full antagonist explanation with examples) An antagonist is usually a character who opposes the protagonist (or main character) of a story, but the antagonist can... (read more)

Antanaclasis is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated within a sentence, but the word or phrase means something different each time it appears. A famous example of antanaclasis is... (read full antanaclasis explanation with examples) Antanaclasis is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated within a sentence, but the word... (read more)

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviors to animals or other non-human things (including objects, plants, and supernatural beings). Some famous examples of anthropomorphism include Winnie the Pooh, the Little Engine that Could, and Simba from... (read full anthropomorphism explanation with examples) Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviors to animals or other non-human things (including objects, plants, and supernatural beings). Some famous... (read more)

Antimetabole is a figure of speech in which a phrase is repeated, but with the order of words reversed. John F. Kennedy's words, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you... (read full antimetabole explanation with examples) Antimetabole is a figure of speech in which a phrase is repeated, but with the order of words reversed. John... (read more)

Antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting or opposing ideas, usually within parallel grammatical structures. For instance, Neil Armstrong used antithesis when he stepped onto the surface of the moon in 1969... (read full antithesis explanation with examples) Antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting or opposing ideas, usually within parallel grammatical structures. For instance,... (read more)

An aphorism is a saying that concisely expresses a moral principle or an observation about the world, presenting it as a general or universal truth. The Rolling Stones are responsible for penning one of the... (read full aphorism explanation with examples) An aphorism is a saying that concisely expresses a moral principle or an observation about the world, presenting it as... (read more)

Aphorismus is a type of figure of speech that calls into question the way a word is used. Aphorismus is used not to question the meaning of a word, but whether it is actually appropriate... (read full aphorismus explanation with examples) Aphorismus is a type of figure of speech that calls into question the way a word is used. Aphorismus is... (read more)

Aporia is a rhetorical device in which a speaker expresses uncertainty or doubt—often pretended uncertainty or doubt—about something, usually as a way of proving a point. An example of aporia is the famous Elizabeth Barrett... (read full aporia explanation with examples) Aporia is a rhetorical device in which a speaker expresses uncertainty or doubt—often pretended uncertainty or doubt—about something, usually as... (read more)

Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses someone (or something) that is not present or cannot respond in reality. The entity being addressed can be an absent, dead, or imaginary... (read full apostrophe explanation with examples) Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses someone (or something) that is not present or... (read more)

Assonance is a figure of speech in which the same vowel sound repeats within a group of words. An example of assonance is: "Who gave Newt and Scooter the blue tuna? It was too soon!" (read full assonance explanation with examples) Assonance is a figure of speech in which the same vowel sound repeats within a group of words. An example... (read more)

An asyndeton (sometimes called asyndetism) is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctions—words such as "and", "or", and "but" that join other words or clauses in a sentence into relationships of equal importance—are omitted.... (read full asyndeton explanation with examples) An asyndeton (sometimes called asyndetism) is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctions—words such as "and", "or", and "but"... (read more)

A ballad is a type of poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music. English language ballads are typically composed of four-line stanzas that follow an ABCB rhyme scheme. (read full ballad explanation with examples) A ballad is a type of poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music. English language ballads... (read more)

A ballade is a form of lyric poetry that originated in medieval France. Ballades follow a strict rhyme scheme ("ababbcbc"), and typically have three eight-line stanzas followed by a shorter four-line stanza called an envoi.... (read full ballade explanation with examples) A ballade is a form of lyric poetry that originated in medieval France. Ballades follow a strict rhyme scheme ("ababbcbc"),... (read more)

Bildungsroman is a genre of novel that shows a young protagonist's journey from childhood to adulthood (or immaturity to maturity), with a focus on the trials and misfortunes that affect the character's growth. (read full bildungsroman explanation with examples) Bildungsroman is a genre of novel that shows a young protagonist's journey from childhood to adulthood (or immaturity to maturity),... (read more)

Blank verse is the name given to poetry that lacks rhymes but does follow a specific meter—a meter that is almost always iambic pentameter. Blank verse was particularly popular in English poetry written between the... (read full blank verse explanation with examples) Blank verse is the name given to poetry that lacks rhymes but does follow a specific meter—a meter that is... (read more)

A cacophony is a combination of words that sound harsh or unpleasant together, usually because they pack a lot of percussive or "explosive" consonants (like T, P, or K) into relatively little space. For instance, the... (read full cacophony explanation with examples) A cacophony is a combination of words that sound harsh or unpleasant together, usually because they pack a lot of... (read more)

A caesura is a pause that occurs within a line of poetry, usually marked by some form of punctuation such as a period, comma, ellipsis, or dash. A caesura doesn't have to be placed in... (read full caesura explanation with examples) A caesura is a pause that occurs within a line of poetry, usually marked by some form of punctuation such... (read more)

Catharsis is the process of releasing strong or pent-up emotions through art. Aristotle coined the term catharsis—which comes from the Greek kathairein meaning "to cleanse or purge"—to describe the release of emotional tension that he... (read full catharsis explanation with examples) Catharsis is the process of releasing strong or pent-up emotions through art. Aristotle coined the term catharsis—which comes from the... (read more)

Characterization is the representation of the traits, motives, and psychology of a character in a narrative. Characterization may occur through direct description, in which the character's qualities are described by a narrator, another character, or... (read full characterization explanation with examples) Characterization is the representation of the traits, motives, and psychology of a character in a narrative. Characterization may occur through... (read more)

Chiasmus is a figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the following phrase, such that two key concepts from the original phrase reappear in the second phrase in inverted... (read full chiasmus explanation with examples) Chiasmus is a figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the following phrase, such... (read more)

The word cinquain can refer to two different things. Historically, it referred to any stanza of five lines written in any type of verse. More recently, cinquain has come to refer to particular types of... (read full cinquain explanation with examples) The word cinquain can refer to two different things. Historically, it referred to any stanza of five lines written in... (read more)

A cliché is a phrase that, due to overuse, is seen as lacking in substance or originality. For example, telling a heartbroken friend that there are "Plenty of fish in the sea" is such a... (read full cliché explanation with examples) A cliché is a phrase that, due to overuse, is seen as lacking in substance or originality. For example, telling... (read more)

Climax is a figure of speech in which successive words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance, as in "Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... (read full climax (figure of speech) explanation with examples) Climax is a figure of speech in which successive words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are arranged in ascending order of... (read more)

The climax of a plot is the story's central turning point—the moment of peak tension or conflict—which all the preceding plot developments have been leading up to. In a traditional "good vs. evil" story (like many superhero movies)... (read full climax (plot) explanation with examples) The climax of a plot is the story's central turning point—the moment of peak tension or conflict—which all the preceding plot... (read more)

Colloquialism is the use of informal words or phrases in writing or speech. Colloquialisms are usually defined in geographical terms, meaning that they are often defined by their use within a dialect, a regionally-defined variant... (read full colloquialism explanation with examples) Colloquialism is the use of informal words or phrases in writing or speech. Colloquialisms are usually defined in geographical terms,... (read more)

Common meter is a specific type of meter that is often used in lyric poetry. Common meter has two key traits: it alternates between lines of eight syllables and lines of six syllables, and it... (read full common meter explanation with examples) Common meter is a specific type of meter that is often used in lyric poetry. Common meter has two key... (read more)

A conceit is a fanciful metaphor, especially a highly elaborate or extended metaphor in which an unlikely, far-fetched, or strained comparison is made between two things. A famous example comes from John Donne's poem, "A... (read full conceit explanation with examples) A conceit is a fanciful metaphor, especially a highly elaborate or extended metaphor in which an unlikely, far-fetched, or strained... (read more)

Connotation is the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary definition. Most words carry meanings, impressions, or associations apart from or beyond their literal meaning. For example, the... (read full connotation explanation with examples) Connotation is the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary definition. Most words... (read more)

Consonance is a figure of speech in which the same consonant sound repeats within a group of words. An example of consonance is: "Traffic figures, on July Fourth, to be tough." (read full consonance explanation with examples) Consonance is a figure of speech in which the same consonant sound repeats within a group of words. An example... (read more)

A couplet is a unit of two lines of poetry, especially lines that use the same or similar meter, form a rhyme, or are separated from other lines by a double line break. (read full couplet explanation with examples) A couplet is a unit of two lines of poetry, especially lines that use the same or similar meter, form... (read more)

A dactyl is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by two unstressed syllables. The word “poetry” itself is a great example of a dactyl, with the stressed syllable... (read full dactyl explanation with examples) A dactyl is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by two unstressed syllables.... (read more)

Denotation is the literal meaning, or "dictionary definition," of a word. Denotation is defined in contrast to connotation, which is the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary... (read full denotation explanation with examples) Denotation is the literal meaning, or "dictionary definition," of a word. Denotation is defined in contrast to connotation, which is... (read more)

The dénouement is the final section of a story's plot, in which loose ends are tied up, lingering questions are answered, and a sense of resolution is achieved. The shortest and most well known dénouement, it could be... (read full dénouement explanation with examples) The dénouement is the final section of a story's plot, in which loose ends are tied up, lingering questions are answered, and... (read more)

A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby an unsolvable conflict or point of tension is suddenly resolved by the unexpected appearance of an implausible character, object, action, ability, or event. For example, if... (read full deus ex machina explanation with examples) A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby an unsolvable conflict or point of tension is suddenly resolved by... (read more)

Diacope is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated with a small number of intervening words. The first line of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, "Happy families are all alike;... (read full diacope explanation with examples) Diacope is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated with a small number of intervening... (read more)

Dialogue is the exchange of spoken words between two or more characters in a book, play, or other written work. In prose writing, lines of dialogue are typically identified by the use of quotation marks... (read full dialogue explanation with examples) Dialogue is the exchange of spoken words between two or more characters in a book, play, or other written work.... (read more)

Diction is a writer's unique style of expression, especially his or her choice and arrangement of words. A writer's vocabulary, use of language to produce a specific tone or atmosphere, and ability to communicate clearly... (read full diction explanation with examples) Diction is a writer's unique style of expression, especially his or her choice and arrangement of words. A writer's vocabulary,... (read more)

Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given situation, and that of the audience. More specifically, in dramatic... (read full dramatic irony explanation with examples) Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a... (read more)

A dynamic character undergoes substantial internal changes as a result of one or more plot developments. The dynamic character's change can be extreme or subtle, as long as his or her development is important to... (read full dynamic character explanation with examples) A dynamic character undergoes substantial internal changes as a result of one or more plot developments. The dynamic character's change... (read more)

An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, especially one mourning the loss of someone who died. Elegies are defined by their subject matter, and don't have to follow any specific form in terms of... (read full elegy explanation with examples) An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, especially one mourning the loss of someone who died. Elegies are defined... (read more)

End rhyme refers to rhymes that occur in the final words of lines of poetry. For instance, these lines from Dorothy Parker's poem "Interview" use end rhyme: "The ladies men admire, I’ve heard, / Would shudder... (read full end rhyme explanation with examples) End rhyme refers to rhymes that occur in the final words of lines of poetry. For instance, these lines from... (read more)

An end-stopped line is a line of poetry in which a sentence or phrase comes to a conclusion at the end of the line. For example, the poet C.P. Cavafy uses end-stopped lines in his... (read full end-stopped line explanation with examples) An end-stopped line is a line of poetry in which a sentence or phrase comes to a conclusion at the... (read more)

Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break. For example, the poet John Donne uses enjambment in his poem "The Good-Morrow" when he continues the opening sentence across the line... (read full enjambment explanation with examples) Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break. For example, the poet John Donne uses... (read more)

An envoi is a brief concluding stanza at the end of a poem that can either summarize the preceding poem or serve as its dedication. The envoi tends to follow the same meter and rhyme... (read full envoi explanation with examples) An envoi is a brief concluding stanza at the end of a poem that can either summarize the preceding poem... (read more)

Epanalepsis is a figure of speech in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end of that same clause or sentence, with words intervening. The sentence "The king is dead,... (read full epanalepsis explanation with examples) Epanalepsis is a figure of speech in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end... (read more)

An epigram is a short and witty statement, usually written in verse, that conveys a single thought or observation. Epigrams typically end with a punchline or a satirical twist. (read full epigram explanation with examples) An epigram is a short and witty statement, usually written in verse, that conveys a single thought or observation. Epigrams... (read more)

An epigraph is a short quotation, phrase, or poem that is placed at the beginning of another piece of writing to encapsulate that work's main themes and to set the tone. For instance, the epigraph of Mary... (read full epigraph explanation with examples) An epigraph is a short quotation, phrase, or poem that is placed at the beginning of another piece of writing to... (read more)

Epistrophe is a figure of speech in which one or more words repeat at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. In his Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln urged the American people to ensure that,... (read full epistrophe explanation with examples) Epistrophe is a figure of speech in which one or more words repeat at the end of successive phrases, clauses,... (read more)

Epizeuxis is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated in immediate succession, with no intervening words. In the play Hamlet, when Hamlet responds to a question about what he's reading... (read full epizeuxis explanation with examples) Epizeuxis is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated in immediate succession, with no intervening... (read more)

Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Ethos is an argument that appeals to the audience by emphasizing the... (read full ethos explanation with examples) Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... (read more)

Euphony is the combining of words that sound pleasant together or are easy to pronounce, usually because they contain lots of consonants with soft or muffled sounds (like L, M, N, and R) instead of consonants with harsh, percussive sounds (like... (read full euphony explanation with examples) Euphony is the combining of words that sound pleasant together or are easy to pronounce, usually because they contain lots of consonants with soft... (read more)

Exposition is the description or explanation of background information within a work of literature. Exposition can cover characters and their relationship to one another, the setting or time and place of events, as well as... (read full exposition explanation with examples) Exposition is the description or explanation of background information within a work of literature. Exposition can cover characters and their... (read more)

An extended metaphor is a metaphor that unfolds across multiple lines or even paragraphs of a text, making use of multiple interrelated metaphors within an overarching one. So while "life is a highway" is a... (read full extended metaphor explanation with examples) An extended metaphor is a metaphor that unfolds across multiple lines or even paragraphs of a text, making use of... (read more)

An external conflict is a problem, antagonism, or struggle that takes place between a character and an outside force. External conflict drives the action of a plot forward. (read full external conflict explanation with examples) An external conflict is a problem, antagonism, or struggle that takes place between a character and an outside force. External conflict... (read more)

The falling action of a story is the section of the plot following the climax, in which the tension stemming from the story's central conflict decreases and the story moves toward its conclusion. For instance, the traditional "good... (read full falling action explanation with examples) The falling action of a story is the section of the plot following the climax, in which the tension stemming from... (read more)

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... (read full figurative language explanation with examples) Figurative language is language that contains or uses figures of speech. When people use the term "figurative language," however, they... (read more)

A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an unusual—or "figured"—way in order to produce a stylistic effect. Figures of speech can be broken into two main groups: figures... (read full figure of speech explanation with examples) A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an unusual—or "figured"—way in order to... (read more)

A character is said to be "flat" if it is one-dimensional or lacking in complexity. Typically, flat characters can be easily and accurately described using a single word (like "bully") or one short sentence (like "A naive... (read full flat character explanation with examples) A character is said to be "flat" if it is one-dimensional or lacking in complexity. Typically, flat characters can be easily... (read more)

Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the story. Foreshadowing can be achieved directly or indirectly, by making explicit statements or leaving subtle... (read full foreshadowing explanation with examples) Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the... (read more)

Formal verse is the name given to rhymed poetry that uses a strict meter (a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables). This two-line poem by Emily Dickinson is formal verse because it rhymes and... (read full formal verse explanation with examples) Formal verse is the name given to rhymed poetry that uses a strict meter (a regular pattern of stressed and... (read more)

Free verse is the name given to poetry that doesn’t use any strict meter or rhyme scheme. Because it has no set meter, poems written in free verse can have lines of any length, from... (read full free verse explanation with examples) Free verse is the name given to poetry that doesn’t use any strict meter or rhyme scheme. Because it has... (read more)

Hamartia is a literary term that refers to a tragic flaw or error that leads to a character's downfall. In the novel Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein's arrogant conviction that he can usurp the roles of God... (read full hamartia explanation with examples) Hamartia is a literary term that refers to a tragic flaw or error that leads to a character's downfall. In... (read more)

Hubris refers to excessive pride or overconfidence, which drives a person to overstep limits in a way that leads to their downfall. In Greek mythology, the legend of Icarus involves an iconic case of hubris:... (read full hubris explanation with examples) Hubris refers to excessive pride or overconfidence, which drives a person to overstep limits in a way that leads to... (read more)

Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. Hyperbolic statements are usually quite obvious exaggerations intended to emphasize a point, rather than be taken literally.... (read full hyperbole explanation with examples) Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. Hyperbolic statements... (read more)

An iamb is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which one unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. The word "define" is an iamb, with the unstressed syllable of "de" followed by the... (read full iamb explanation with examples) An iamb is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which one unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable.... (read more)

An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the phrase. For example, saying that something is... (read full idiom explanation with examples) An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on... (read more)

Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After Apple-Picking" contain imagery that engages the senses of touch, movement,... (read full imagery explanation with examples) Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines... (read more)

Internal rhyme is rhyme that occurs in the middle of lines of poetry, instead of at the ends of lines. A single line of poetry can contain internal rhyme (with multiple words in the same... (read full internal rhyme explanation with examples) Internal rhyme is rhyme that occurs in the middle of lines of poetry, instead of at the ends of lines.... (read more)

Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are. If this seems like a loose definition, don't worry—it is. Irony is a... (read full irony explanation with examples) Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how... (read more)

Juxtaposition occurs when an author places two things side by side as a way of highlighting their differences. Ideas, images, characters, and actions are all things that can be juxtaposed with one another. For example,... (read full juxtaposition explanation with examples) Juxtaposition occurs when an author places two things side by side as a way of highlighting their differences. Ideas, images,... (read more)

A kenning is a figure of speech in which two words are combined in order to form a poetic expression that refers to a person or a thing. For example, "whale-road" is a kenning for... (read full kenning explanation with examples) A kenning is a figure of speech in which two words are combined in order to form a poetic expression... (read more)

A line break is the termination of one line of poetry, and the beginning of a new line. (read full line break explanation with examples) A line break is the termination of one line of poetry, and the beginning of a new line. (read more)

Litotes is a figure of speech and a form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed ironically by negating its contrary. For example, saying "It's not the best weather today" during a hurricane would... (read full litotes explanation with examples) Litotes is a figure of speech and a form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed ironically by negating... (read more)

Logos, along with ethos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Logos is an argument that appeals to an audience's sense of logic... (read full logos explanation with examples) Logos, along with ethos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... (read more)

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor can be stated explicitly, as in the sentence "Love is... (read full metaphor explanation with examples) A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other.... (read more)

Meter is a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that defines the rhythm of some poetry. These stress patterns are defined in groupings, called feet, of two or three syllables. A pattern of unstressed-stressed,... (read full meter explanation with examples) Meter is a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that defines the rhythm of some poetry. These stress patterns... (read more)

Metonymy is a type of figurative language 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... (read full metonymy explanation with examples) Metonymy is a type of figurative language in which an object or concept is referred to not by its own... (read more)

The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing can influence its mood, from the... (read full mood explanation with examples) The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... (read more)

A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the central themes of a book or play. For example, one... (read full motif explanation with examples) A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of... (read more)

A narrative is an account of connected events. Two writers describing the same set of events might craft very different narratives, depending on how they use different narrative elements, such as tone or point of view. For... (read full narrative explanation with examples) A narrative is an account of connected events. Two writers describing the same set of events might craft very different narratives,... (read more)

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... (read full onomatopoeia explanation with examples) Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or... (read more)

An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms or ideas are intentionally paired in order to make a point—particularly to reveal a deeper or hidden truth. The most recognizable oxymorons are... (read full oxymoron explanation with examples) An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms or ideas are intentionally paired in order to... (read more)

A paradox is a figure of speech that seems to contradict itself, but which, upon further examination, contains some kernel of truth or reason. Oscar Wilde's famous declaration that "Life is much too important to be... (read full paradox explanation with examples) A paradox is a figure of speech that seems to contradict itself, but which, upon further examination, contains some kernel... (read more)

Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have the same grammatical structure. These "parallel" elements can be used to intensify the rhythm of... (read full parallelism explanation with examples) Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have... (read more)

Parataxis is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are set next to each other so that each element is equally important. Parataxis usually involves simple sentences or phrases whose relationships... (read full parataxis explanation with examples) Parataxis is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are set next to each other so... (read more)

A parody is a work that mimics the style of another work, artist, or genre in an exaggerated way, usually for comic effect. Parodies can take many forms, including fiction, poetry, film, visual art, and... (read full parody explanation with examples) A parody is a work that mimics the style of another work, artist, or genre in an exaggerated way, usually... (read more)

Pathetic fallacy occurs when a writer attributes human emotions to things that aren't human, such as objects, weather, or animals. It is often used to make the environment reflect the inner experience of a narrator... (read full pathetic fallacy explanation with examples) Pathetic fallacy occurs when a writer attributes human emotions to things that aren't human, such as objects, weather, or animals.... (read more)

Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is an argument that appeals to an audience's emotions. When a... (read full pathos explanation with examples) Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... (read more)

Personification is a type of figurative language in which 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... (read full personification explanation with examples) Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the... (read more)

Plot is the sequence of interconnected events within the story of a play, novel, film, epic, or other narrative literary work. More than simply an account of what happened, plot reveals the cause-and-effect relationships between... (read full plot explanation with examples) Plot is the sequence of interconnected events within the story of a play, novel, film, epic, or other narrative literary... (read more)

Point of view refers to the perspective that the narrator holds in relation to the events of the story. The three primary points of view are first person, in which the narrator tells a story from... (read full point of view explanation with examples) Point of view refers to the perspective that the narrator holds in relation to the events of the story. The... (read more)

Polyptoton is a figure of speech that involves the repetition of words derived from the same root (such as "blood" and "bleed"). For instance, the question, "Who shall watch the watchmen?" is an example of... (read full polyptoton explanation with examples) Polyptoton is a figure of speech that involves the repetition of words derived from the same root (such as "blood"... (read more)

Polysyndeton is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctions—words such as "and," "or," and "but" that join other words or clauses in a sentence into relationships of equal importance—are used several times in close... (read full polysyndeton explanation with examples) Polysyndeton is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctions—words such as "and," "or," and "but" that join other words... (read more)

The protagonist of a story is its main character, who has the sympathy and support of the audience. This character tends to be involved in or affected by most of the choices or conflicts that... (read full protagonist explanation with examples) The protagonist of a story is its main character, who has the sympathy and support of the audience. This character... (read more)

A pun is a figure of speech that plays with words that have multiple meanings, or that plays with words that sound similar but mean different things. The comic novelist Douglas Adams uses both types... (read full pun explanation with examples) A pun is a figure of speech that plays with words that have multiple meanings, or that plays with words... (read more)

A quatrain is a four-line stanza of poetry. It can be a single four-line stanza, meaning that it is a stand-alone poem of four lines, or it can be a four-line stanza that makes up... (read full quatrain explanation with examples) A quatrain is a four-line stanza of poetry. It can be a single four-line stanza, meaning that it is a... (read more)

A red herring is a piece of information in a story that distracts readers from an important truth, or leads them to mistakenly expect a particular outcome. Most often, the term red herring is used to refer... (read full red herring explanation with examples) A red herring is a piece of information in a story that distracts readers from an important truth, or leads them... (read more)

In a poem or song, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat, usually at the end of a stanza in a poem or at the end of a verse in... (read full refrain explanation with examples) In a poem or song, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat, usually at the... (read more)

Repetition is a literary device in which a word or phrase is repeated two or more times. Repetition occurs in so many different forms that it is usually not thought of as a single figure... (read full repetition explanation with examples) Repetition is a literary device in which a word or phrase is repeated two or more times. Repetition occurs in... (read more)

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in which a question is asked for a reason other than to get an answer—most commonly, it's asked to make a persuasive point. For example, if a... (read full rhetorical question explanation with examples) A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in which a question is asked for a reason other than to... (read more)

A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words. Rhyming is particularly common in many types of poetry, especially at the ends of lines, and is a requirement in formal verse.... (read full rhyme explanation with examples) A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words. Rhyming is particularly common in many types... (read more)

A rhyme scheme is the pattern according to which end rhymes (rhymes located at the end of lines) are repeated in works poetry. Rhyme schemes are described using letters of the alphabet, such that all... (read full rhyme scheme explanation with examples) A rhyme scheme is the pattern according to which end rhymes (rhymes located at the end of lines) are repeated... (read more)

The rising action of a story is the section of the plot leading up to the climax, in which the tension stemming from the story's central conflict grows through successive plot developments. For example, in the story of "Little... (read full rising action explanation with examples) The rising action of a story is the section of the plot leading up to the climax, in which the tension stemming... (read more)

A character is said to be "round" if they are lifelike or complex. Round characters typically have fully fleshed-out and multi-faceted personalities, backgrounds, desires, and motivations. Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby... (read full round character explanation with examples) A character is said to be "round" if they are lifelike or complex. Round characters typically have fully fleshed-out and... (read more)

Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Public figures, such as politicians, are often the subject of satire, but satirists can take aim at other targets as... (read full satire explanation with examples) Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Public figures, such as politicians,... (read more)

A sestet is a six-line stanza of poetry. It can be any six-line stanza—one that is, itself, a whole poem, or one that makes up a part of a longer poem. Most commonly, the term... (read full sestet explanation with examples) A sestet is a six-line stanza of poetry. It can be any six-line stanza—one that is, itself, a whole poem,... (read more)

Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the city of New York, or it can be an imagined location, like Middle Earth in... (read full setting explanation with examples) Setting is where and when a story or scene takes place. The where can be a real place like the... (read more)

Sibilance is a figure of speech in which a hissing sound is created within a group of words through the repetition of "s" sounds. An example of sibilance is: "Sadly, Sam sold seven venomous serpents to Sally and... (read full sibilance explanation with examples) Sibilance is a figure of speech in which a hissing sound is created within a group of words through the repetition... (read more)

A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also use other words that indicate... (read full simile explanation with examples) A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. To make the comparison, similes most often... (read more)

Traditionally, slant rhyme referred to a type of rhyme in which two words located at the end of a line of poetry themselves end in similar—but not identical—consonant sounds. For instance, the words "pact" and... (read full slant rhyme explanation with examples) Traditionally, slant rhyme referred to a type of rhyme in which two words located at the end of a line... (read more)

A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself, relating his or her innermost thoughts and feelings as if thinking aloud. In some cases,... (read full soliloquy explanation with examples) A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself,... (read more)

A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem. Traditionally, the fourteen lines of a sonnet consist of an octave (or two quatrains making up a stanza of 8 lines) and a sestet (a stanza of... (read full sonnet explanation with examples) A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem. Traditionally, the fourteen lines of a sonnet consist of an octave (or... (read more)

A spondee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which both syllables are stressed. The word "downtown" is a spondee, with the stressed syllable of "down" followed by another stressed syllable, “town”: Down-town. (read full spondee explanation with examples) A spondee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which both syllables are stressed. The word "downtown" is a... (read more)

A stanza is a group of lines form a smaller unit within a poem. A single stanza is usually set apart from other lines or stanza within a poem by a double line break or... (read full stanza explanation with examples) A stanza is a group of lines form a smaller unit within a poem. A single stanza is usually set... (read more)

A character is said to be "static" if they do not undergo any substantial internal changes as a result of the story's major plot developments. Antagonists are often static characters, but any character in a... (read full static character explanation with examples) A character is said to be "static" if they do not undergo any substantial internal changes as a result of... (read more)

Stream of consciousness is a style or technique of writing that tries to capture the natural flow of a character's extended thought process, often by incorporating sensory impressions, incomplete ideas, unusual syntax, and rough grammar. (read full stream of consciousness explanation with examples) Stream of consciousness is a style or technique of writing that tries to capture the natural flow of a character's... (read more)

A syllogism is a three-part logical argument, based on deductive reasoning, in which two premises are combined to arrive at a conclusion. So long as the premises of the syllogism are true and the syllogism... (read full syllogism explanation with examples) A syllogism is a three-part logical argument, based on deductive reasoning, in which two premises are combined to arrive at... (read more)

Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses one thing—usually a physical object or phenomenon—to represent something more abstract. A strong symbol usually shares a set of key characteristics with whatever it is... (read full symbolism explanation with examples) Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses one thing—usually a physical object or phenomenon—to represent something more... (read more)

Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which, most often, 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"... (read full synecdoche explanation with examples) Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which, most often, a part of something is used to refer to its... (read more)

A theme is a universal idea, lesson, or message explored throughout a work of literature. One key characteristic of literary themes is their universality, which is to say that themes are ideas that not only... (read full theme explanation with examples) A theme is a universal idea, lesson, or message explored throughout a work of literature. One key characteristic of literary... (read more)

The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance, an editorial in a newspaper... (read full tone explanation with examples) The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... (read more)

A tragic hero is a type of character in a tragedy, and is usually the protagonist. Tragic heroes typically have heroic traits that earn them the sympathy of the audience, but also have flaws or... (read full tragic hero explanation with examples) A tragic hero is a type of character in a tragedy, and is usually the protagonist. Tragic heroes typically have... (read more)

A trochee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable. The word "poet" is a trochee, with the stressed syllable of "po" followed by the... (read full trochee explanation with examples) A trochee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable.... (read more)

Understatement is a figure of speech in which something is expressed less strongly than would be expected, or in which something is presented as being smaller, worse, or lesser than it really is. Typically, understatement is... (read full understatement explanation with examples) Understatement is a figure of speech in which something is expressed less strongly than would be expected, or in which something... (read more)

Verbal irony occurs when the literal meaning of what someone says is different from—and often opposite to—what they actually mean. When there's a hurricane raging outside and someone remarks "what lovely weather we're having," this... (read full verbal irony explanation with examples) Verbal irony occurs when the literal meaning of what someone says is different from—and often opposite to—what they actually mean.... (read more)

A villanelle is a poem of nineteen lines, and which follows a strict form that consists of five tercets (three-line stanzas) followed by one quatrain (four-line stanza). Villanelles use a specific rhyme scheme of ABA... (read full villanelle explanation with examples) A villanelle is a poem of nineteen lines, and which follows a strict form that consists of five tercets (three-line... (read more)

A zeugma is a figure of speech in which one "governing" word or phrase modifies two distinct parts of a sentence. Often, the governing word will mean something different when applied to each part, as... (read full zeugma explanation with examples) A zeugma is a figure of speech in which one "governing" word or phrase modifies two distinct parts of a... (read more)

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Practical Media Training and Public Speaking Tips

Nine Rhetorical Devices For Your Next Speech

Many speakers are good at conveying information to their audiences. But how many of them are actually interesting ?

Rhetorical devices are too often cast aside as the province of the great Roman orators. They shouldn’t be. When executed well, they can spice up your speeches, presentations, even your one-on-one conversations.

Here are nine of my favorite rhetorical devices. Instead of just reading this article, try inserting a few of these devices in your next speech!

1. Alliteration: The repetition of a sound in the first syllable of each phrase. In the example below, you will see one string of three words beginning with “f,” and another with three words beginning with “d.”

“They are part of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known. They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different, and difficult places.” – President Barack Obama

  2. Anadiplosis: The last word or phrase is repeated to begin the next.

“Suffering breeds character; character breeds faith.” – Rev. Jesse Jackson “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” – Yoda

    3. Antimetabole: The repetition of words or phrases in successive clauses, but in reverse order.

“Not all schooling is education nor all education, schooling.” – Economist Milton Friedman “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.” – Scientist Carl Sagan

    4. Antithesis:  A word, phrase, or sentence opposes the original proposition.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” – Neil Armstrong

5. Asyndeton: Omits conjunctions, which helps to increase the tempo and highlight a specific idea.

“…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” – Abraham Lincoln “He was a bag of bones, a floppy doll, a broken stick, a maniac.” – Jack Kerouac

6. Diacope: A repeated word or phrase split up by other words; typically used to express a strong emotion.

“Put out the light, and then put out the light.” – William Shakespeare, Othello “For the love of God, man, for the love of God.” – Me, all the time “You’re not fully clean unless you’re Zest fully clean .” – Zest Soap commercial  

  7. Litotes: You’ve probably heard this if a friend ever told you her first date was “not bad.” Litotes is essentially a double negative, expressed by denying an opposite idea; often used ironically.

“She’s no dummy” (she’s smart) “This is no small problem” (this is a big problem)

  8. Metaphor: An analogy that compares one thing or idea to another, using a term or phrase it literally isn’t to suggest similarity.

“Homeowners are the innocent bystanders in a drive-by shooting by Wall Street and Washington.” – Sen. John McCain “It’s raining men.” – The Weather Girls

  9. Simile: A comparison between two unalike things, usually using the words “as” or “like.”

“We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. “You’re as cold as ice.” – Foreigner

Do you want to learn even more ways to spice up your speeches and presentations? Become the speaker you always wanted to be with our free public speaking tips guide . 

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Comments (9)

Useful list, but I’m rather surprised by your use of all these obscure Greek words to describe the techniques. I’ve been teaching people how to use rhetorical devices for more than 25 years and have found it perfectly possible to describe them in instantly accessible modern English that anyone can easily understand. For the same reason – instant accessibility so that people can benefit from using them – also did this in my book ‘Lend Me Your Ears: All You Need to Know About Making Speeches and Presentations’ http://amzn.to/g7NgAL

Hi Max, Thank you for your comment, and you raise a fair point. I certainly agree that jargon is lousy for all forms of communication. Would you mind sharing a few of the terms you use to replace the ancient Greek words? Thank you, Brad

I think it’s important to note that it’s not necessary to use ALL of these devices in a speech or presentation. Two similes, a bunch of alliteration and some antimetabole can be too much. It’s a presentation, not Shakespeare. Don’t let the message get muddied in order to show how clever you are. Simplicity, in many cases, is the best rhetorical device.

Hi Betsy, Thank you for making that point – you’re exactly right. Rhetorical devices should be used to help achieve a specific purpose, such as making a key point more memorable. Speakers should feel free to experiment with a device or two in every speech, but should be careful not to go over-the-top. If you’re unsure how many devices to use, I’d err on the side of too few (at least at first). As you suggested, a little goes a long way. Thanks for stopping by the blog! Brad

AWESOME AND EDUCATIONAL

I would like to point out, that I am fairly certain that your second example for alliteration, given by Martin Luther King Jr., is not alliteration at all. I believe it is actually an example of anaphora.

First commenter (Max) is clearly self promoting and not adding value here. Why say that and then not offer examples? Thank you author Brad for providing these examples and the names that are used for them.

Jack is correct! H.S. was 10 years ago for me (I took a public speaking class), but I DO recall falling in love with anaphora, particularly when I was crafting a rousing speech. It gets me FIRED UP! BTW, is there any way in which an apposition can be qualified as a rhetorical device? I feel in love with them from about age 9– I read a lot. I do love them in informative pieces, but it would be fun to see them used convincingly in a persuasive piece. I faintly recall trying to squeeze A FEW into just one sentence for a particularly militant English professor, just to piss her off. . . IT WORKED. She loved me by the end of the semester, however.

For those who did not appreciate the technical terms for the devices. I loved It, as it helped focus my attention. I got a real kick out of it, the specific terms, the love of language for the sake of language. Mmm. A rhetorical device?

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Rhetorical Devices

Rhetorical devices offer a way for speakers to arrange language in an artful way so as to make the conversation more engaging and subsequently, more memorable for audience members. Professional and amateur speech writers can employ any number of rhetorical devices to spice up the delivery of a presentation (see Table 7.1).

Greek and Roman scholars in the classical period developed and identified most rhetorical devices. Four of the most popular ones used in speeches include alliteration, antithesis, parallel structure, and repetition.

Alliteration

Alliteration occurs when the speaker uses the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Alliteration appears in everyday uses of language, such as television shows ( Mad Men ), sporting events (Final Four), company names (Dunkin Donuts), and in famous phrases (home sweet home; right as rain). When used sparingly, alliteration can spice up the language of delivery, such as “We owe it to our city to help the hungry, the homeless, and the helpless among us.” However, speakers can overuse alliteration, turning an otherwise innocuous statement into an exercise in pure silliness: “Nick’s nephew needed new notebooks now.”

The antithesis rhetorical technique juxtaposes two dissimilar or contrasting ideas. Consider President John F. Kennedy’s famous example: “ Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country .” Neil Armstrong used an antithesis as he took his first steps on the moon: “ That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind .” Consider this technique when trying to draw attention to an important point. Other examples include:

• Many are called, but few are chosen.
• We are taught to speak, but rarely how to listen.

Parallel Structure and Repetition

Parallel structure uses the technique of arranging phrases or clauses of a sentence in parallel form, such as in the following examples:

• Dogs make great pets; they show loyalty, they show obedience, and they show love.
• Our coach told us we should get a lot of sleep, we should eat well, and we should think positively about tonight’s game.

Martin Luther King, Jr. masterfully used parallel structure and combined it with repetition to add engagement to his oratory. Consider his famous I Have a Dream speech :

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!

Repetition occurs when the speaker repeats certain words or phrases to garner emotional effect. Those repeated phrases sound pleasant to the human ear, because they carry with them a certain rhythmic quality, adding emphasis and aiding in memory retention. Repetition as an element of public speaking works differently than it does in written communication. In public speaking, presenters should use repetition because it helps the audience remember key ideas. In written communication, repetition often gets avoided because a reader can review the original reference for memory and comprehension.

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The Top 41 Rhetorical Devices That Will Make Your Words Memorable

• What Are Rhetorical Devices?
• Top Rhetorical Devices
• Take The Quiz

For many, public speaking is one of the most terrifying things imaginable. Thankfully, we can rely on the many, many rhetorical devices to give us a helping hand.

What are rhetorical devices ?

A rhetorical device is typically defined as a technique or word construction that a speaker or writer uses to win an audience to their side, either while trying to persuade them to do something or trying to win an argument.

As you are about to see, the majority of rhetorical devices have names that come from Greek or Latin. While the concept of public speaking developed early around the world, much of what we know about the art of public speaking comes to English speakers from the ancient Greeks. The Greeks cultivated the art of rhetoric and many great philosophers, such as Plato and Aristotle, thoroughly studied it. The ancient Romans greatly valued rhetoric as well and they continued to build on the Greek rhetorical traditions that came before them.

What worked for the ancient Greeks and Romans still works wonders today. Rhetorical devices are effective tools that any writer or speaker can use to make their words more impactful to an audience. Rhetorical devices make speeches more persuasive, writing more memorable, and are just what you need if you are trying to really take advantage of ethos, pathos, and logos .

Rhetorical devices vs. literary devices

Literary and rhetorical devices are sometimes discussed separately, but it’s important to note the relationship and occasional overlap between the two. A l iterary device is an element, like a metaphor, imagery, and others, that draws us into a story . Have you ever been so wrapped up in a story, book, song, or poem, that you just couldn’t walk away from it? If so, there’s a good chance the writer has mastered the art of using literary devices.

To compare, rhetorical devices are often described as those elements that are incorporated intentionally to invoke responses in the reader, as well as influence the tone of a work.

Our comprehensive guide to literary devices is chock full of examples from masterful writers.

Often, rhetorical devices emphasize a specific language pattern, word, sentence structure, or rhyming pattern. They include formative techniques, like repetition or hyperbole , that accentuate certain elements of a work for the purpose of getting the reader’s attention, persuading them, or drawing out an emotional response. It is often said rhetorical devices are used to elicit a certain emotion via persuasion, whereas literary devices may be primarily used to enhance storytelling.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular, effective, and interesting rhetorical devices that turn our words into award-winning speeches and writing.

✒️ Want to try a quiz first?

We have a quick quiz for you if you want to see how far your knowledge of rhetorical devices goes. Or review the terms below first so you can test what you’ve learned.

List of 41 top rhetorical devices

1. metaphor.

A metaphor is a comparison in which something is said to figuratively be something else.

Example: He was a wolf among sheep.

2. hyperbole

A hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration.

Example: The plate exploded into a million pieces.

3. alliteration

Alliteration is repeating the same or similar sounds at the beginning of words.

Example: She sells seashells by the sea shore.

An analogy is a comparison between two similar things, typically using figurative language. Metaphors and similes—more on them later—are usually considered to be types of analogies. Sometimes, analogies are considered to be a unique device that is a comparison that explains itself; basically, a complex metaphor or long simile.

Example: Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you are going to get.

5. onomatopoeia

An onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it refers to.

Example: The thunder boomed and the lightning crashed.

6. allusion

Allusion is the act of casually referencing something, usually a work of popular culture.

Example: Finishing his memoir was his white whale.

7. oxymoron

Oxymoron is a figure of speech that uses two opposite words together.

Example: The treaty led to a violent peace.

Satire is using humor to criticize public figures.

Example: When Senator Jackson said “numbers don’t lie,” he forgot that his first name wasn’t “Numbers.”

In rhetoric, the word paradox refers to making a statement that seems self-contradictory or impossible but actually makes sense.

Example: Youth is wasted on the young.

A simile is a comparison in which something is said to figuratively be like something else.

Example: It was as hot as a desert this morning.

Learn about different types of poems (and see what rhetorical devices they may use).

In rhetoric, the notoriously confusing word irony means to use words to mean the opposite of their literal meaning.

Example: Ashley said it was a beautiful day while drying off from the drenching rain. (Ashley ironically referred to poor weather as “beautiful.”)

12. personification

Personification is the act of giving human elements to non-human things.

Example: The beautiful valley spread its arms out and embraced us.

13. anecdote

An anecdote is a brief story about something that happened to the speaker, usually something funny or interesting.

Example: Five years ago, I went to the store and met some clowns. Those clowns gave me the advice I am sharing with you now.

14. euphemism

Euphemism is using alternative language to refer to explicit or unpleasant things.

Example: The baseball struck him in a sensitive area.

15. connotation

Connotation is using words to suggest a social or emotional meaning rather than a literal one.

Example: This is a house, but I want a home.

16. meiosis

As a rhetorical device, meiosis means using euphemism to minimize the importance or significance of something.

Example: We must put an end to this peculiar institution. (“Peculiar institution” is a euphemism for slavery.)

17. apostrophe

In rhetoric, apostrophe occurs when a writer or speaker directly addresses an absent person, a concept, or an inanimate object.

Example: You have made a fool out of me for the last time, washing machine!

18. antithesis

Antithesis is using parallel sentences or clauses to make a contrast.

Example: No pain, no gain.

19. sarcasm

Sarcasm is using irony to mock something or to show contempt.

Example: Oh, yeah, John is a great guy. A great guy who took the last slice of pizza.

20. consonance

Consonance is a repetition of consonants or consonant sounds.

Example: Mike likes Ike’s bike.

21. rhetorical question

A rhetorical question is a question that isn’t intended to be answered. The point of asking the question is to make an audience think or to cause an emotional reaction.

Example: Can we really know what our place in the universe is? We have asked ourselves this question for millennia.

22. epithet

An epithet is a nickname or descriptive term used to refer to someone.

Example: You need to listen to me and not Clueless Kevin over there.

23. anaphora

Anaphora is the repetition of a word or words at the start of phrases, clauses, or sentences.

Example: I came, I saw, I conquered.

Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech is a classic example of anaphora. Read about it here.

In rhetoric, climax is ordering words so that they build up in intensity.

Example: Look at the sky! It’s a bird! A plane! Superman!

25. cacophony

Cacophony is the act of purposefully using harsh sounds.

Example: The gnashing of teeth and screeching of bats kept me awake.

26. assonance

Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sound with different consonants.

Example: She and Lee see the bees in the tree.

A person is making a pun when they humorously use words with multiple meanings or words with similar sounds to create wordplay.

Example: The farmer tried to get his cows to get along, but they insisted on having a beef with each other.

28. parallelism

Parallelism is using grammatically similar phrases or sentences together.

Example: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

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29. aphorism

An aphorism is a short sentence that presents truth or opinion, usually in a witty or clever manner.

Example: A penny saved is a penny earned.

30. synecdoche

Synecdoche is when a part of something is used to refer to a whole.

Example: The commander had an army of 10,000 swords. (The people holding the swords were there, too.)

Parody is an imitation of something with the intent to poke fun at it.

Example: If Edgar Allen Poe had written this speech, it might have opened with “Here we are, weak and weary, gathered on a Monday dreary.”

32. colloquialism

A colloquialism is an instance of informal language or a local expression. The act of using such language is also called colloquialism .

Example: Here in Philly, we love to eat hoagies and all kinds of tasty jawns.

33. understatement

Understatement is using language to intentionally lessen a major thing or event.

Example: The erupting volcano was a little problem for the neighboring city.

34. syllogism

Syllogism is an argument based on deductive reasoning that uses generalizations to reach specific conclusions. Usually, a syllogism follows the format of “A is B. B is C. So, A is C.”

Example: Dogs are mammals. Biscuit is a dog. Therefore, Biscuit is a mammal.

Learn more about deductive and inductive reasoning.

An eponym can refer to “a word based on or derived from a person’s name,” such as the Gallup poll , named after statistician G.H. Gallup, or Reagonomics (a combination of the last name Reagan and economics ). As a rhetorical device, an eponym can be an allusion to a famous person.

Example: Nick is the LeBron James of birding.

36. metonymy

Metonymy is when the name of something is replaced with something related to it.

Example: He loved music from the cradle (birth) to the grave (death).

37. parenthesis

In rhetoric, parenthesis is an interruption used for clarity.

Example: The audience, or at least the paying members of the audience, enjoyed the show.

38. expletive

In rhetoric, an expletive is an interrupting word or phrase used for emphasis.

Example: The eggs were not, in any sense of the word, delicious.

39. metanoia

In rhetoric, metanoia refers to any instance of self-correction. Metanoia can involve things like retracting a previous statement to replace it with a new one or amplifying a previous statement by using stronger language.

Example: We’ll work on it on Sunday. No, let’s make that Monday—it’s the weekend after, all!

40. chiasmus

Chiasmus is reversing the grammatical order in two otherwise parallel phrases or sentences.

Example: Dog owners own dogs and cats own cat owners.

41. asyndeton

Asyndeton is the removal of conjunctions from a sentence.

Example: Get in, cause a distraction, get out.

Take the quiz

Are you ready to write with these rhetorical devices? You can review them using our Rhetorical Devices Word List , where you can practice with flashcards and practice quizzes. And when it’s time, fit in this quiz to quickly distinguish which terms you now know before you apply them to your next project.

Learn more about the modes of persuasion known as ethos, pathos, and logos.

Ways To Say

Synonym of the day

Tap into the power to persuade by using these 6 techniques of clear and compelling speech

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Politicians and other public figures deploy particular rhetorical devices to communicate their ideas and to convince people, and it’s time that we all learned how to use them, says speechwriter Simon Lancaster.

This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.

There is a secret language of leadership — and it’s one that anyone can learn, says UK speechwriter Simon Lancaster in a TEDxVerona talk . He has made a career out of crafting addresses, remarks and talks for top politicians and CEOs of international corporations such as Nestle and Unilever, and continues to do so . Refreshingly, rather than clinging Gollum-like to what he’s learned and knows, he believes everyone should have access to the same tools that he and his colleagues use.

By tools, he’s not talking about special software or databases — he’s referring to rhetoric. Rhetoric has its roots in ancient Greece ( think: Aristotle ) as clear, convincing speech was seen as an essential component of communication and participation in a democracy. Instruction in rhetoric remained part of the curriculum in many secondary schools in Europe and the US until the 19th century.

“The reason we all used to learn rhetoric at school was because it was seen as a basic entry point to society,” explains Lancaster, who is based in London. “How could society be fair, unless everyone had equal ability to articulate and express themselves? Without it, your legal systems, your political systems, your financial systems are not fair.”

Yes, the power to persuade is just that — power.

Lancaster states there is only one school in England that still teaches rhetoric: Eton, the alma mater of 20 Prime Ministers (including current officeholder, Boris Johnson). He adds, “It should be of intense concern to all of us that education in this has been narrowed to a very small … elite.”

While Lancaster can’t send the world to Eton, he can share the 6 rhetorical building blocks needed to speak persuasively. Here they are:

Building block #1: Breathless sentences or phrases

Barack Obama gave an acceptance speech for the ages in 2008 after he was first elected president of the US. He spoke vividly of the challenges that lay ahead for the country: “Even as we celebrate tonight, we know that the challenges tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime: Two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.”

Lancaster wants us to pay special attention to the last part of that sentence, the “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century” part. Yes, it’s a stressful mouthful — not just because of the content but because of how it’s delivered. Short, staccato phrases like these mimic how we speak when we’re anxious and in a hurry. This technique helps communicate urgency to an audience.

Building block #2: Speaking in 3s

What’s the other rhetorical trick underlying “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century”? The rule of 3.

Humans are accustomed to things coming in 3s: whether it’s judges on American Idol , bowls of porridge in a fairy tale , or sides in a triangle. Our minds and ears have been trained by speeches (Abraham Lincoln’s “government of the people, for the people, by the people”); slogans (reduce, reuse, recycle); and book titles ( Elizabeth Gilbert ‘s memoir Eat, Pray, Love ). “You put your argument in 3s, it makes it sound more compelling, more convincing, more credible. Just like that,” says Lancaster.

Recall British PM Winston Churchill’s stirring triplet from the speech he delivered to Parliament on June 4, 1940 : “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight on the fields and in the streets.” Besides the rule of 3, he gave the line additional rhetorical firepower by repeating the opening clause.

Lancaster explains, “When we are emotional about things, our perspective distorts, and this then manifests in our speech. So this is the authentic sound of passion.” Doing this can catch an audience in the speaker’s enthusiasm.

Building block #3: Balanced statements

“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” It’s a line from president John F Kennedy’s inspiring 1961 inaugural address , and one that’s stood the test of time. Why? Its balanced construction, says Lancaster. “If the sentence sounds as if it’s balanced, we imagine that the underlying thinking is balanced and our brain is tuned to like things that are balanced.”

Grouping balanced statements in 3s further amplifies the effect:

“We’re looking to the future, not the past.

We’re working together, not against one another.

We’re thinking about what we can do, not what we can’t.”

Building block #4: Metaphor

According to Lancaster, people use a metaphor once every 16 words on average ( side question: Where do statistics like this even come from? ). He declares, “Metaphor is probably the most powerful piece of political communication.”

Metaphors are rich in imagery and awake immediate feelings in people, so it follows that politicians love them and sprinkle them like birdseed (“like birdseed” is a simile, not a metaphor , and similes are other strong rhetorical tools to have in your kit). At times, they can employ them to point us to an ideal or aspiration. For example, in his farewell address , president Ronald Reagan movingly invoked America, h/t to John Winthrop, as a “shining city upon the hill.”

Too often, however, metaphors are used to manipulate, incite and denigrate. Politicians and talking heads could have called the 2015-16 refugee encampment in Calais, France, a “refugee camp” or “refugee settlement.” Instead, they deployed this loaded word: “jungle.” Lancaster says,“It’s planting in your mind the idea that migrants are like wild animals to be afraid of, that they are dangerous, that they represent a threat to you. This is a very dangerous metaphor because this is the language of genocide; it’s the language of hate.” Unfortunately, media outlets picked up “Calais jungle” and used it as their shorthand identifier of the camp, extending the metaphor’s reach.

Building block #5: Exaggeration

In the same way that we get breathless when they’re speaking with passion, our speech distorts in another significant way. We exaggerate. So when we’re sitting down to a meal after having eaten little that day, we tell our family and friends: “I love this pizza.” But when we say things like this to each other, we also realize it’s a bit of distortion: We do not love the pizza in the same way that we love our children or parents or the planet, and everyone present knows that.

Similarly, politicians and leaders might say things like “I’ve waited my whole life to say these words” or “I will work to achieve this with all my heart and soul.” These utterances are indeed over the top, but because they’re acceptable and even welcome since they echo how we speak.

Building block #6: Rhyming

Starting from childhood, many of us are taught concepts through rhymes — such as “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” or “i before e except after c.” With their musicality, they’re a pleasing informational snack that sticks in memories like a musical earworm .

Rhymes can seem corny, but sprinkled in at the right time, they can be incredibly potent. We all  remember the pithy “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” from defense attorney Johnnie Cochran during O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder trial.

Rhyming’s appeal comes “down to what linguists talk about as the processing fluency of language — how easy is language to swallow?” says Lancaster. “If you speak using long words and long sentences, it’s like giving someone a steak and asking them to swallow it. Whereas if you give them something pithy, like a rhyme, it’s like asking them to just sip on some Prosecco.”

These six tricks can help us speak directly to people’s instinctive, emotional and logical brains, and they are extremely effective, says Lancaster. There’s no need for us to be in the public eye to use them in order to sway others or make our words stay in people’s minds. Even if we never employ them in our own lives, it’s equally important for us to recognize them. Politicians, con artists and advertisers utilize them to win votes, spread opinions, or sell products people don’t need. By being alert to these rhetorical devices, we can be better citizens and consumers.

To learn more about rhetoric, watch this:

Watch Simon Lancaster’s TEDxVerona talk here:

About the author

Daryl Chen is the Ideas Editor at TED.

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44 Rhetorical Devices: Complete Guide to Effective Rhetoric

In the world of writing, the difference between a forgettable sentence and a memorable one often lies in the subtle art of rhetoric.

Rhetorical devices are the tools that give language its power, transforming ordinary prose into something that resonates with readers.

For freelance writers, aspiring authors, and seasoned wordsmiths alike, mastering these devices can elevate your work, making it not just read but remembered.

What are rhetorical devices?

Rhetorical devices are techniques that writers use to craft their language in ways that enhance the impact of their message.

These tools play with the structure, sound, and meaning of words to create effects that engage, persuade, or evoke emotions in the reader.

Whether used in speeches, nonfiction books , articles, or advertisements, rhetorical devices help writers connect with their readers on a deeper level, making their words more compelling and memorable.

Why are rhetorical devices used?

Writers use rhetorical devices to add depth and persuasion to their work.

These techniques can make arguments more convincing, descriptions more vivid, and narratives more engaging.

By skillfully applying rhetorical devices, writers can influence how their audience perceives their message, guiding their thoughts and emotions.

Whether the goal is to inform, entertain, or persuade, rhetorical devices are key to effective communication.

1 – Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of closely connected words.

Writers use alliteration to create rhythm, enhance mood, and make phrases more memorable, often adding a lyrical quality to their writing.

Example : “She sells seashells by the seashore.”

2 – Allusion

Allusion is a reference to a well-known person, event, or work of art, often used to make a comparison.

This device evokes a particular image or idea in the reader’s mind by drawing on something familiar, adding depth and layers of meaning to the writing.

Example : “He met his Waterloo.”

3 – Anacoluthon

Anacoluthon is a break in the grammatical sequence within a sentence for rhetorical effect.

Writers use anacoluthon to convey emotion, create suspense, or reflect a character’s stream of consciousness.

Example : “I was going to tell him—well, it doesn’t matter now.”

4 – Anadiplosis

Anadiplosis is the repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the next clause.

It emphasizes a point and creates a sense of continuity, leading the reader smoothly from one idea to the next.

Example : “Fear leads to anger; anger leads to hate; hate leads to suffering.”

5 – Analogy

Analogy is a comparison between two things to explain or clarify an idea.

This technique helps make complex or unfamiliar ideas more relatable and understandable by drawing parallels with something the reader already knows.

Example : “Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re gonna get.”

6 – Anaphora

Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

By repeating a phrase, anaphora creates emphasis and rhythm, drawing attention to a central theme or idea.

Example : “I have a dream… I have a dream… I have a dream…”

7 – Anastrophe

Anastrophe is the inversion of the usual order of words for emphasis or rhetorical effect.

This reversal draws attention to specific parts of a sentence, often creating a dramatic or poetic impact.

Example : “Strong in the force, you are.”

8 – Antanaclasis

Antanaclasis is a rhetorical device in which a word is repeated and used in different senses.

This device adds layers of meaning and wit to writing by playing with the multiple meanings of a word.

Example : “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”

9 – Antanagoge

Antanagoge involves placing a good point or benefit next to a fault or criticism in order to reduce the impact of the negative point.

By balancing criticism with something positive, antanagoge softens the impact and helps maintain a more favorable tone.

Example : “The car is not pretty, but it runs well.”

10 – Antimetabole

Antimetabole is the repetition of words in successive clauses, but in transposed order.

This structure creates memorable, impactful statements that highlight contrasts or contradictions in a way that sticks with the reader.

Example : “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

11 – Antithesis

Antithesis is the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases or clauses.

Using antithesis emphasizes the difference between two ideas, adding depth and contrast to the writing.

Example : “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

12 – Aporia

Aporia is the expression of doubt, often feigned, by which a speaker appears uncertain about what they should say or think.

This technique engages the reader by inviting them to ponder the question, adding a layer of introspection.

Example : “To be, or not to be, that is the question.”

13 – Aposiopesis

Aposiopesis is a sudden breaking off in the middle of a sentence, leaving it unfinished.

Writers use this to convey intense emotion or suspense, allowing the reader to fill in the gaps.

Example : “I’m so angry, I could—!”

14 – Apostrophe

Apostrophe is the act of addressing an absent person, an abstract idea, or an inanimate object as if it were present and capable of responding.

This device allows writers to convey deep emotions or create a sense of immediacy by bringing abstract concepts or distant entities to life.

Example : “O Death, where is thy sting?”

15 – Asyndeton

Asyndeton is the omission of conjunctions between parts of a sentence to create a concise, impactful statement.

This technique speeds up the rhythm of a passage, creating a sense of urgency or emphasizing each element equally.

Example : “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

16 – Chiasmus

Chiasmus is a rhetorical or literary figure in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order.

Writers use chiasmus to create balance and symmetry in a sentence, often highlighting a significant contrast.

Example : “Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.”

17 – Climax

Climax involves arranging words, phrases, or clauses in an order of increasing importance.

This structure builds intensity, leading the reader towards a powerful conclusion or the peak of a narrative.

Example : “He risked truth, he risked honor, he risked life itself.”

18 – Conduplicatio

Conduplicatio is the repetition of a key word from a preceding clause or sentence at the beginning of the next.

This device reinforces a particular idea and strengthens the connection between consecutive thoughts.

Example : “She loved him; loved him with all her heart.”

19 – Diacope

Diacope is the repetition of a word or phrase with one or two intervening words.

Writers use diacope to create emphasis and rhythm, adding a dramatic or poetic touch to their sentences.

Example : “The horror! The horror!”

20 – Epanalepsis

Epanalepsis is the repetition of the initial part of a clause or sentence at the end of the same clause or sentence.

This technique emphasizes a key idea and can create a sense of completeness or closure.

Example : “The king is dead, long live the king.”

21 – Enthymeme

Enthymeme is a rhetorical syllogism in which one premise is left unstated.

This method engages the reader by encouraging them to fill in the logical gaps, making the argument more interactive.

Example : “He must be a good man, he is a priest.”

22 – Epistrophe

Epistrophe is the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

This repetition creates emphasis and rhythm, reinforcing the central idea in a memorable way.

Example : “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”

23 – Epizeuxis

Epizeuxis is the repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession for emphasis.

This device intensifies the impact of a statement, making the repeated word stand out sharply.

Example : “The horror, the horror!”

24 – Euphemism

Euphemism is a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered too harsh or blunt.

Writers use euphemisms to soften the impact of difficult or uncomfortable topics, making them more palatable for the reader.

Example : “He passed away” instead of “He died.”

25 – Hyperbole

Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally.

This technique is used to create a dramatic effect or to emphasize the extent of a situation.

Example : “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

26 – Hypophora

Hypophora is a figure of speech in which the speaker poses a question and then immediately answers it.

This approach is used to engage the reader and guide them toward a particular line of thought or argument.

Example : “What’s the secret to success? Hard work and perseverance.”

27 – Irony

Irony is the expression of something which is contrary to the intended meaning; the words say one thing but mean another.

This device is often used to convey sarcasm, humor, or to highlight a contrast between expectations and reality.

Example : “Oh, great! Another rainy day. Just what I needed.”

28 – Litotes

Litotes is a form of understatement in which a positive statement is expressed by negating its opposite.

Writers use litotes to express modesty, soften the impact of a statement, or add a subtle, understated tone.

Example : “It’s not exactly a walk in the park.”

29 – Metaphor

Metaphor is a figure of speech that refers to one thing by mentioning another, implying a comparison without using “like” or “as.”

This device creates vivid imagery and deepens the reader’s understanding by equating one idea with another.

Example : “Time is a thief.”

30 – Metonymy

Metonymy is the substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant.

Writers use metonymy to create a more poetic or concise expression by referring to something closely related to the concept they mean to convey.

Example : “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

31 – Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the natural sound of a thing.

This technique enhances descriptions by appealing to the sense of sound, making the writing more vivid and engaging.

Example : “The bees buzzed.”

32 – Oxymoron

Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

This device reveals a deeper truth or creates a dramatic effect by juxtaposing opposites.

Example : “Deafening silence.”

33 – Paradox

Paradox is a statement that contradicts itself but may reveal a hidden truth.

Writers use paradox to provoke thought and highlight the complexities or contradictions in a situation.

Example : “This is the beginning of the end.”

34 – Paralipsis

Paralipsis involves giving emphasis by professing to say little or nothing about a subject.

This device draws attention to something by deliberately pretending to pass over it, often for ironic or persuasive effect.

Example : “I won’t even mention the fact that he was late.”

35 – Parallelism

Parallelism is the use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same or similar in construction, sound, meaning, or meter.

This technique creates balance, rhythm, and clarity, making the writing more persuasive and memorable.

Example : “Easy come, easy go.”

36 – Pleonasm

Pleonasm is the use of more words than necessary to convey meaning, either as a fault of style or for emphasis.

Writers might use pleonasm to reinforce an idea or to add a particular tone or rhythm to their writing.

Example : “I saw it with my own eyes.”

37 – Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton is the use of several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some could otherwise be omitted.

This technique slows down the pace of the sentence, adding weight and emphasis to each element listed.

Example : “We lived and laughed and loved and left.”

38 – Prolepsis

Prolepsis is the anticipation and answering of possible objections within a speech or text.

By addressing counterarguments before they arise, writers can strengthen their position and make their argument more convincing.

Example : “You might say that this is a bad idea, but I believe it will work because…”

39 – Simile

Simile is a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by “like” or “as.”

Writers use similes to create vivid imagery and make descriptions more relatable by drawing direct comparisons.

Example : “As brave as a lion.”

40 – Syllepsis

Syllepsis is a figure of speech in which a word is applied to two others in different senses.

This device adds wit and complexity to writing by using a single word to link different ideas or meanings.

Example : “He stole my heart and my wallet.”

41 – Synecdoche

Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.

Writers use synecdoche to add depth or symbolism, often making statements more impactful by focusing on a specific element.

Example : “All hands on deck.”

42 – Tautology

Tautology is the repetition of an idea in different words, phrases, or sentences, often without adding additional meaning.

This device can be used intentionally for emphasis or to reinforce a point, though it is often seen as redundant.

Example : “It’s deja vu all over again.”

43 – Understatement

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

This technique is often used to create irony or humor by downplaying the significance of something.

Example : “It’s just a scratch” (referring to a large dent).

44 – Zeugma

Zeugma is a figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses or to two others of which it semantically suits only one.

This device creates a unique, often humorous effect by linking different ideas with a single word.

Example : “She broke his car and his heart.”

Are you ready to use these rhetorical devices in your writing?

Mastering rhetorical devices is your key to crafting unforgettable prose.

Whether you’re working on a gripping novel, an inspiring memoir , or even a powerful blog post, these tools can elevate your writing to new heights.

Start weaving alliteration into your dialogue, using metaphor to create vivid imagery, or building suspense with aposiopesis.

Whatever your next project, these devices will help you captivate your readers and leave a lasting impact.

Now, it’s time to put them into practice and transform your writing from the mundane to the memorable.

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31 Stylistic Devices for Creative Writers

Today’s guest post is by Rose Scott:

Without figurative language , writing would be plain and shallow. The more stylistic devices you know, the more unique your writing can be. If writing is your passion, you probably already know a dozen or so stylistic devices, but I’m betting there are a few on this list you’ve never heard of.

Take a look at this comprehensive list of stylistic devices and see if any might work in your current WIP (work in progress). Of course, you want to be reasonable and not go overboard with forced prose. But I’m sure you can find great places to utilize these wonderful literary techniques.

1. Adnomination

Repetition of words with the same root. The difference lies in one sound or letter. A nice euphony can be achieved by using this poetic device.

Examples: “Nobody loves no one.” (Chris Isaak). Someone, somewhere, wants something.

2. Allegory

Representation of ideas through a certain form (character, event, etc.). Allegory can convey hidden meanings through symbolic figures, actions, and imagery.

Example: Animal Farm by George Orwell is all about the Russian Revolution. And characters stand for working and upper classes, military forces, and political leaders.

3. Alliteration

The repeated sound of the first consonant in a series of words, or the repetition of the same sounds of the same kind at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables of a phrase.

Examples: A lazy lying lion. Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers. Sally sells seashells by the seashore.

4. Allusion

Reference to a myth, character, literary work, work of art, or an event.

Example: I feel like I’m going down the rabbit hole (an allusion to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll).

5. Anaphora

Word repetition at the beginnings of sentences in order to give emphasis to them.

Example: “Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.” (Martin Luther King)

Opposite: Epiphora. Word repetition at the end of sentences.

Example: “And that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” (Abraham Lincoln)

6. Antithesis

Emphasizing contrast between two things or fictional characters.

Example: “Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing; a confusion of the real with the ideal never goes unpunished.” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

7. Apostrophe

Directed speech to someone who is not present or to an object.

Example: “Work on, my medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught.” (William Shakespeare)

8. Assonance

Repetition of vowels in order to create internal rhyming.

Example: “Hear the mellow wedding bells.” (Edgar Allan Poe)

Related: Consonance. Repetition of consonants.

9. Cataphora

Mentioning of the person or object further in the discourse.

Examples: I met him yesterday, your boyfriend who was wearing the cool hat. If you want some, here’s some cheese. After he had received his orders, the soldier left the barracks.

Arranging text in such a manner that tension gradually ascends.

Example. He was a not bad listener, a good speaker and an amazing performer.

Opposite: Anticlimax. Tension descends.

11. Charactonym (or Speaking Name)

Giving fictional characters names that describe them.

Example: Scrooge, Snow White.

12. Ellipsis

Word or phrase omission.

Example: I speak lots of languages, but you only speak two (languages).

13. Euphemism

Replacing offensive or combinations of words with lighter equivalents.

Example: Visually challenged (blind); meet one’s maker (die)

Opposite: Dysphemism . Replacing a neutral word with a harsher word.

14. Epigram

Memorable and brief saying, usually satirical.

Example: “For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” (Virginia Woolf)

15. Hyperbole

Exaggeration of the statement.

Example: If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times.

Opposite: Litotes. Understatement.

Asking a question and answering it right away.

Example: Are you going to leave now? I don’t think so.

There are three types of irony:

• Verbal (Antiphrasis) – using words to express something different from their literal meaning for ironic effect (”I’m so excited to burn the midnight oil and write my academic paper all week long”).
• Situational – result differs from the expectation (Bruce Robertson, a character of Filth, is a policeman. Nonetheless, he does drugs, resorts to violence and abuse, and so on).
• Dramatic – situation is understandable for the audience but not the fictional character/actor (audience sees that the fictional characters/actors will be killed now, though the characters don’t expect it).

Describing people/objects by enumerating their traits.

Example: Lock, stock, and barrel (gun); heart and soul (entirety)

18. Metalepsis

Referencing one thing through the means of another thing, which is related to the first one.

Example: “Stop judging people so strictly—you live in a glass house too.” (A hint at the proverb: people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.)

19. Metaphor

Comparing two different things that have some characteristics in common.

Example: “Love is clockworks and cold steel.” (U2)

20. Metonymy

Giving a thing another name that is associated with it.

Example: The heir to the crown was Richard. (the crown stands for authority)

21. Onomatopoeia

Imitating sounds in writing.

Example: oink, ticktock, tweet tweet

22. Oxymoron

Combining contradictory traits.

Example: Living dead; terribly good; real magic

23. Parallelism

Arranging a sentence in such a manner that it has parallel structure.

Example: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I will learn.” (Benjamin Franklin)

Opposite: Chiasmus . An inverted parallelism.

Examples: “To stop, too fearful, and too faint to go.” (Oliver Goldsmith); “My job is not to represent Washington to you but to represent you to Washington.” (Barack Obama)

24. Parenthesis

Interrupting a sentence by inserting extra information enclosed in brackets, commas, or dashes.

Example: Our family (my mother, sister, and grandfather) had a barbeque this past weekend.

25. Personification

Attributing human characteristics to nonhumans.

Example: Practically all animals in fairy tales act like human beings. They speak and have traits that are typical of people.

A kind of wordplay. Here are a few types of puns:

• Antanaclasis – repetition of the same word or phrase, but with a different meaning (“Cats like Felix like Felix.”—“Felix” catfood slogan).
• Malapropism – usage of the incorrect word instead of the word with a similar sound (“optical delusion” instead of “optical illusion”).
• Paradox – self-contradictory fact; however, it can be partially true (“I can resist anything but temptation.”—Oscar Wilde).
• Paraprosdokian – arranging a sentence in such a manner so the last part is unexpected (You’re never too old to learn something stupid).
• Polyptoton – repetition of the words with the same root (“The things you  own  end up  owning  you.”—Chuck Palahniuk).

27. Rhetorical question

Questioning without expecting the answer.

Example: Why not? Are you kidding me?

Direct comparison.

Example: “Your heart is like an ocean, mysterious and dark.” (Bob Dylan)

29. Synecdoche

Generalization or specification based on a definite part/trait of the object.

Example: He just got new wheels. (car)

30. Tautology

Saying the same thing twice in different ways.

Example: first priority; I personally; repeat again

31. Zeugma (or Syllepsis)

Applying a word to a few other words in the sentence in order to give different meaning.

Example: Give neither counsel nor salt till you are asked for it.

Quite a huge list, right? With all these stylistic devices, your writing can potentially be so much more attractive. If you find it difficult to memorize them all, here’s what I recommend you do: make flashcards. Write a stylistic device on one side of the flashcard and its meaning on the other side, then work on memorizing a few a day. Voila! Enjoy your learning and writing.

Feature photo by Heather Wilson Smith

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13 Comments

great post! thanks Rose, for a super stellar list of dynamic devices! i’ve saved the list for future and fair-constant reference. there’s always something good on this blog! Merry Christmas everyone!!

Oh man, it’s like Christmas has come early. I love posts like this – and I’ll both share it *and* copy it to my desktop ha!

Items I didn’t know about but immediately fell in love with: adnomination, anaphora, hypophora (I hadn’t realised, but I do this all of the time, which now seems pretty annoying!), and zeugma. Thank you once again!

Glad you enjoyed this post! Have a happy Christmas!

Thanks much for you “31 Stylistic Devices … …” I was in the process of writing a transcript when I sort of stumbled across the need to correctly define a scenario.

I did a quick surf, directly asking for what I wanted, this popped up. I scanned your list and had the “Eureka!” moment. “METAPHOR!”

It’s really great of you also sharing without obligation. We do a lot of that in our realm of things.

Okay! Thanks again! Please, have a great weekend!

P.S. For you Ms. Lakin. Thanks for making this site available! Please, have a great weekend, as well!

Thanks for the kind words! Glad you are getting some benefit from the blog’s content!

Do you have a list of stylised paragraphs? Not just the main 4 (descriptive, narrative, expository, and persuasive), but other types of paragraphs that apply rhetorical ornaments and devices.

Forgot to say thank you for this lovely and informative post.

Wow this post has boost my understanding of the analysing the prose techniques in a book. Thank u very much

I greatly appreciate the time and effort you put into constructing this list. I especially enjoy how you introduced me to unfamiliar and complex stylistic devices. I will attempt to incorporate these techniques in my future writing. Synecdoche is a wonderful device that I have not heard of before, I’ll have to steal it :P. Is there any way I can contact you? I would love to have a nerdy conversation about English!

Sincerely, Jenny Wales

It was interesting when you talked about how parallelism arranges sentences so their structure is parallel to each other. I’ve been wanting to find some poetry online to help me sort through my emotions from a loved one’s death last month. Thanks for teaching me these writing devices to look out for so I can understand the poems as effectively as possible.

Hi Rose I like your terms and I am using it on my writing my thesis on stylistics.

Actually, there are 32 stylistic devices in your list, since there are two no. 17.

Thankyou so much for the compilation.It was quite helpful to me while writing my work of literature especially since english isnt my first language.Its simply priceless

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The Top 20 Literary Devices Every Writer Should Know

Literary devices are vital tools that all writers should learn to use to bring their writing and stories to life.

They can add depth, emotion, and subtle layers of meaning to even the simplest forms of writing, transforming words into vivid mental images.

When you understand and start using a few basic devices, you can engage your readers by creating memorable imagery and conveying complex ideas with a little bit of style.

Whether you’re writing a novel, a poem, an article, or an essay, trying and using some of these techniques can only improve your writing.

Article Contents

What are literary devices?

They are techniques writers use to improve the quality of their storytelling by creating memorable imagery and conveying deeper meanings in their work.

They are the building blocks of literature, helping shape how a story is told and how it affects readers.

These devices can take many forms, from the subtle use of symbolism to represent abstract ideas to the more overt use of metaphors to draw comparisons between different concepts.

Irony adds a layer of complexity by highlighting contrasts between appearance and reality while foreshadowing hints at events to come, creating some suspense and anticipation.

Literary devices are not just abstract literary terms.

They are vital to writing, guiding how readers perceive and interpret a text.

Whether you use them to evoke emotion, emphasize a theme, or add rhythm to prose, these tools are essential for effective communication in literature.

You can choose from a wide array of devices to suit your style or purpose, making your writing more engaging and impactful.

Learning to use these devices will help you engage and retain your readers.

In essence, literary devices are the means of breathing life into your words, transforming simple text into powerful and memorable narratives.

Learning the basics

For new or inexperienced writers, learning to use literary devices can seem daunting at first. But starting with a few simple ones can make a significant difference to your writing.

Perhaps begin with similes and metaphors . These powerful tools can help you draw comparisons and create vivid ideas.

Practice these by describing everyday objects or feelings and comparing them to something else in an unexpected yet relatable way.

Alliteration is another simple device to experiment with. It adds a musical quality to your writing by repeating the first letter of words, making your sentences more memorable.

Imagery is crucial for bringing your scenes to life.

When describing a setting  or a moment, focus on the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.

This technique pulls readers into your world, making your story more realistic and relatable.

Foreshadowing  is a subtle but effective device for adding depth.

Try hinting at future events without giving too much away, which can build suspense and keep readers hooked.

You can start experimenting by using a few devices in short pieces, like a short story or poetry, which you can try quite easily.

As you become more comfortable, gradually introduce other devices like irony or personification to add a little more complexity to your writing.

Remember, the key is to use these tools for a reason, not just for the sake of it.

Over time, you’ll learn when and how to apply them to improve your storytelling and make your writing more engaging.

My top 20 literary devices

I could have made this a very long list because there are a lot of devices and literary terms.

But I have narrowed it down to what I believe are the essential ones writers should learn how to use.

You won’t suddenly use all of them at once. However, with a bit of time and practice, most are relatively easy to grasp and use.

I have added two examples for each device to help you understand how they work.

1. Metaphor

A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unrelated things by stating that one is the other to highlight a shared quality.

Her voice was music to his ears.

The world is a stage, and we are merely players.

It is similar to a metaphor but uses like or as to compare two different things.

The night was as black as coal.

His temper was like a storm, brewing and unpredictable.

3. Alliteration

The intentional repetition of the same sound at the beginning of closely connected words is often used to create rhythm or mood.

Alluring alliteration always adds awesome appeal.

The wild wind whipped through the willows.

4. Foreshadowing

This technique hints at what will come later in the story, creating suspense or preparing the reader for future events.

The old man’s ominous words lingered in her mind, hinting at the danger ahead.

As they entered the dark forest, the sudden silence hinted that something wasn’t right.

A device where the intended meaning is opposite to the literal sense. It’s often used to create humor or emphasize a point.

The doctor’s clinic had a sign that read, closed due to illness.

He posted a video on Facebook explaining how pointless and annoying social media is.

6. Personification

Assigning human characteristics to non-human objects, animals, or abstract ideas to create vivid imagery.

The flowers danced in the gentle breeze.

Time crawled at a snail’s pace during the long meeting.

7. Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement is not meant to be taken literally; it is used for emphasis or comedic effect.

I’ve told you a million times to clean your room!

He’s so hungry he could eat a horse.

It is using descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) to create vivid mental pictures.

The golden sunset spilled across the horizon, painting the sky with shades of pink and orange.

The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the room, making it warm and inviting.

9. Onomatopoeia

A word (usually a verb) that imitates the sound it represents  is often used to make writing more dynamic and engaging.

The bees buzzed busily among the flowers.

The door creaked open, sending a shiver down her spine.

10. Allusion

A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, event, or piece of art to add depth or context.

He’s a real Romeo with the ladies.”* (Reference to Romeo from Shakespeare’s *Romeo and Juliet*)

The software update was her Achilles heel. (Reference to the mythological Achilles)

11. Symbolism

The use of symbols—objects, characters, or colors—to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

A dove flew overhead, a sign of a wish for peace in the war-torn land.

The broken mirror in the story signifies the protagonist’s shattered identity.

12. Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms to create a paradoxical effect.

The comedian’s jokes were seriously funny.

She gazed at him with an icy warmth in her eyes.

13. Juxtaposition

It places two or more contrasting elements close together to highlight their differences and create a more complex meaning.

The calm before the storm was eerie and unsettling.

The bright, colorful flowers grew amidst the ruins of the old building.

14. Flashback

A literary device to present events that occurred before the story’s current timeline, providing background or context.

As she walked through the old neighborhood, she had a vision of her childhood days spent playing in the park.

The soldier remembered his first day of training as he prepared for battle.

15. Allegory

A narrative in which characters and events represent broader concepts to convey moral, social, or political messages.

In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the farm animals represent different classes in society.

The tortoise and the hare in Aesop’s fable represent the virtues of persistence versus arrogance.

A recurring element (such as an image, theme, or symbol) in a story that helps to develop the overall theme or mood.

The recurring mention of darkness in the novel emphasizes the feeling of despair.

The use of hands symbolizes both connection and separation.

17. Euphemism

A polite or mild word or expression refers to something more blunt or harsh, often to avoid offending or soften the impact.

She said her grandfather had passed away instead of died.

They were let go from their jobs instead of being fired.

18. Paradox

A statement that appears self-contradictory but reveals a more profound truth.

This is the beginning of the end.

To bring peace, we must prepare for war.

The author’s attitude or approach  to the subject matter is conveyed through word choice, style, and viewpoint.

The author was bitter and sarcastic, highlighting his disillusionment with society.

Her warm and inviting writing made the reader feel at home in the story.

The underlying message, central idea, or insight into life that a literary work explores, often through the story’s characters, plot, and setting.

The forces of good, represented by Harry Potter and his allies, and the forces of evil, embodied by Voldemort.

The Great Gatsby critiques the idea of the American Dream, showing how the pursuit of wealth and status can lead to moral decay, emptiness, and the destruction of personal relationships.

Literary devices are the secret sauce that can change your writing from good to memorable.

I’ve noted what I believe are the top 20 literary devices that every writer should have in their toolkit.

From the simple power of a metaphor or simile to the richness of juxtaposition and plain fun of an allegory, these tools help you add depth, emotion, and meaning to your writing.

Understanding these devices can make your writing more engaging and impactful, whether you’re just starting out or looking to polish your work.

So, give them a try, experiment, and see how your words come to life on a page.

Related Reading: Learn From Writers – The Easy Way To Improve Your Writing

About The Author

Derek Haines

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