Figurative Language Definitions

Front

Personification

Back

Giving human characteristics to non-human things or ideas.

Example: The wind whispered through the trees.

Front

Simile

Back

A comparison of two things using 'like' or 'as.'

Example: Her smile was as bright as the sun.

Front

Metaphor

Back

A direct comparison between two things without using 'like' or 'as.'

Example: The mall parking lot is a zoo during the holidays.

Front

Hyperbole

Back

An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

Example: I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse.

Front

Onomatopoeia

Back

A word that imitates the sound it represents.

Example:

The door creaked open in the middle of the night.

Front

Alliteration

Back

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

Example: Sam swiftly sailed his small sailboat across the sparkling sea.

Front

Idioms

Back

Phrases that have meanings different from the literal meanings of the words.

Example: It's raining cats and dogs outside.

Front

Imagery

Back

Using words to create a mental picture for the reader.

Example: The golden sun left the sky with shades of pink and orange as the cool breeze chilled the air.