Figures of speech
(24 main types)
HUFLIT

24 Common Types of Figures of Speech
1  Alliteration
Alliteration refers to repeating consonant sounds right next to each
other, which creates a memorable or melodic effect.
Ex: “She sells seashells by the seashore.”
2 Antithesis
Antithesis is a literary technique that places opposite things or ideas
next to one another to highlight their contrast.
Ex: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” —Charles
Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

3 Apostrophe
Apostrophe as a figure of speech is when a character addresses
someone or something that isn't present or cannot respond. The
character might speak to someone deceased, an inanimate object, or a
concept.
Ex: “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” —William
Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
4 Circumlocution
Circumlocution is the use of a purposely wordy description. You can
think of it as talking in circles.
Ex: In Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the Queen of
Hearts gives confusing directions to Alice using long, roundabout
phrases instead of straightforward commands.

5 Epigram
An epigram is a clever and memorable statement. You will find
epigrams in speeches, poetry, and sometimes at the beginning of a book.
Ex: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” —
Eleanor Roosevelt
6 6 Euphemism
A euphemism is a soft and inoffensive word or phrase that replaces a
harsh, unpleasant, or hurtful one for the sake of sympathy or civility,
such as passed away or downsizing.
Ex: In George Orwell's Animal Farm, the character Napoleon refers to
the execution of the animals who oppose him as a public purging, which
softens the harsh reality of what's actually happening—murder and
violence.

7 Hyperbole
Hyperbole is a deliberate exaggeration that adds emphasis, urgency, or
excitement to a statement.
Ex: “If I don't eat soon, I'm going to die of hunger.”
8 Irony
Irony is when there is a discrepancy between expectation and reality.
It often highlights contrasts between appearance and truth or intention
and outcome, creating a humorous, tragic, or thought-provoking
effect.
Ex: In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus vows to find and punish
the murderer of King Laius, not realizing that he himself is the
murderer.

9 Litotes
Litotes use a double negative to create a positive.
Ex: “You're not wrong.”
10 Metaphor
A metaphor directly compares dissimilar things to create more vivid
imagery or understanding.
Ex: “He was an onion; to understand him, she had to peel back the
layers.”

11  Metonymy
Metonymy is a literary device in which a word or object stands for a
closely related word or object. Metonymy gives a writer more variability
with descriptions.
Ex: “I thought his movies were better when they weren't so Hollywood.”
12 Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is when a word imitates the natural sound of a thing,
making the description more expressive and vivid.
Ex: “The bacon sizzled in the pan.” The word sizzled imitates the sound
of bacon cooking.

13 Oxymoron
An oxymoron is a phrase that uses two contradictory words to create a
new meaning.
Ex: The phrase deafening silence contrasts two opposing
words: deafening, which suggests a loud noise, and silence, which
indicates the absence of sound.
• 14 14 Paradox
A paradox is a statement that appears to contradict itself but contains
some truth, theme, or humor.
Ex: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than
others.” —George Orwell, Animal Farm

15  Personification
Personification is assigning human attributes to nonhuman things.
Ex: “The floorboards groaned under the weight of each step.” 
16 Pleonasm
Pleonasm is the use of more words than necessary to convey meaning.
A writer might use pleonasm for humor or emphasis, or they might not
realize they're using extra words at all.
Ex: “The burning fire warmed the whole house.”

17  Pun
A pun is a form of wordplay that purposely substitutes words that
sound similar but have different meanings.
Ex: “'Mine is a long and a sad tale!' said the Mouse, turning to Alice
and sighing. 'It is a long tail, certainly,' said Alice, looking down with
wonder at the Mouse's tail, 'but why do you call it sad?'” —Lewis
Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
18 Simile
A simile compares two dissimilar things using like or as to give the
reader a more vivid understanding of something.
Ex: “It was the first real day of summer, and by the time she came
back indoors, she was as red as a tomato.”

19 Synecdoche
Synecdoche is when a smaller unit is used to signify a larger unit or
vice versa.
Ex: In the expression all hands on deck, hands refers to the crew
members who work on a ship. Instead of mentioning the entire person,
it uses a part (the hands) to represent the whole.
20 Understatement
Understatement is the intentional downplaying of a situation. This can
create a humorous or deadpan effect in writing.
Ex: “I have to have this operation. It isn't very serious. I have this tiny
little tumor on the brain.” —J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

21. Hyponymy
A part is included in another one.
Ex: The room has four lights.
superordinate hyponym
22. Assonance
Assonance refers to repeating vowel sounds right next to each other,
which creates a memorable or melodic effect.
Ex: I seem to like your little green trees.

23. Transferred epithet
Transferred epithet is when this adjective is transferred to a
different noun like 'Happy birthday'.
Ex: "Ivan the Great" or the Homeric phrase "wine-dark sea."Dec 13,
2024
24. Zoomorphism
Zoomorphism is the tendency of viewing human behavior in terms of
the behavior of animals. It is also used in literature to portray the act
of humans or objects.
Ex: “Fame is a bee” by Emily Dickinson: In this short poem,
Dickinson uses zoomorphism to describe notoriety, writing, “Fame is
a bee. / It has a song— / It has a sting— / Ah, too, it has a wing.”

Good luck!