Figurative Language Terms

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A comparison using like or as

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Simile: A figure of speech that directly compares two different things using the words 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'Her smile was as bright as the sun.'

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Words that express the opposite of what someone really feels or means (sarcasm)

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Verbal Irony: A figure of speech where the speaker says one thing but means another, often used for sarcasm. Example: Saying 'Oh, great!' when something bad happens.

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A repeated vowel sound

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Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words. Example: 'The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.'

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Words that make a sound

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Onomatopoeia: A word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound it describes. Example: 'buzz', 'hiss', 'clang'.

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A mild way of saying something harsh or blunt

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Euphemism: A polite or mild word or expression used to refer to something embarrassing or unpleasant. Example: 'Passed away' instead of 'died'.

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A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'

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Metaphor: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unlike things. Example: 'Time is a thief.'

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A figure of speech that involves exaggeration for emphasis or effect

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Hyperbole: An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally. Example: 'I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.'

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

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Allusion: An indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. Example: 'He has the Midas touch.'

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The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a series of words

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Alliteration: The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Example: 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

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A part of something that represents the whole

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Synecdoche: A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa. Example: 'All hands on deck' means all crew members.