Rhetorical Devices

This device uses character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.

• allegory

• symbolism

• apostrophe

• oxymoron

An example of this device is shown below:

"I will sing victories for you!"

• euphemism

• hypophora

• catachresis

• enallage

This is the strict, literal dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.

• juxtaposition

• connotation

• logos

• denotation

The following sentence is an example of which rhetorical device?

"The European soldiers killed six of the remaining villagers, the American soldiers, eight."

• hyperbole

• ellipsis

• invective

• litotes

This device is any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.

• invective

• point of view

• meiosis

• homily

This is an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.

• paradox

• invective

• sarcasm

• zeugma

This device takes two words, phrases, images, or ideas and places them close together or side-by-side for comparison or contrast.

• asyndeton

• syllogism

• juxtaposition

• polysyndeton

An example of this device is shown below:

"He's no fool."

• litotes

• metonymy

• parody

• pun

This is another term for understatement.

• meiosis

• neologism

• aposiopesis

• chiasmus

This device allows a writer to create a new or imaginary word.

• parallelism

• anaphora

• epistrophe

• neologism