Rhetorical devices

Alliteration

Repetition of the same starting sound in nearby words. Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, event, or text. Example: “He was a real Romeo with the ladies.”

Antimetabole (Antipolosis)

Repetition of words in reverse order for effect. Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

Asyndeton

Leaving out conjunctions to make writing feel faster. Example: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

Colloquialism

Use of informal, everyday speech. Example: “Y’all” instead of “you all.”

Connotation

The emotional or cultural meaning of a word. Example: “Home” feels warm and safe.

Denotation

The literal dictionary meaning of a word. Example: “Home” means a place where one lives.

Diction

The author’s word choice that shapes tone or meaning. Example: Using “slender” instead of “skinny” gives a softer tone.

Distinctio

Clarifying what a word means to avoid confusion. Example: “By ‘impossible,’ I mean it cannot be done under any circumstances.”

Euphemism

A mild or polite word replacing a harsh one. Example: “Passed away” instead of “died.”

Emphasis

Giving special importance to a word or idea. Example: Repeating a phrase or changing tone to stress meaning.

Epistrophe

Repetition of words at the end of sentences or phrases. Example: “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”

Ethos

Appeal to credibility or ethics. Example: A doctor speaking about health issues.

Exigence

The urgent reason or situation that inspires writing or speech. Example: King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” responding to injustice.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration for emphasis or humor. Example: “I’ve told you a million times!”

Hypophora

Asking a question and then immediately answering it. Example: “Why do we study rhetoric? Because words shape power.”

Irony

When the opposite of what’s expected happens or is said. Example: A fire station burns down.

Logos

Appeal to logic and reason. Example: Using data and facts in Greta Thunberg’s speeches.

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but holds truth. Example: “The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.”

Parallelism

Repetition of grammatical structure for rhythm and clarity. Example: “Easy come, easy go.”

Pathos

Appeal to emotion. Example: A charity ad showing suffering animals.

Polysyndeton

Using many conjunctions to slow rhythm and add weight. Example: “He ran and jumped and laughed and cried.”

Prose

Ordinary written or spoken language (not poetry). Example: Novels, essays, and speeches use prose form.

Rhetor

The speaker or writer who uses rhetoric to persuade. Example: Martin Luther King Jr. is the rhetor of “I Have a Dream.”

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, not an actual answer. Example: “Do we really want to live in fear?”

Satire

Using humor or irony to criticize human flaws or society. Example: Animal Farm mocking political corruption.

Symbolism

When an object stands for a larger idea. Example: A dove symbolizes peace.

Syntax

Sentence structure and word arrangement. Example: “I cannot go out” vs. “Out I cannot go” changes tone.

Tone

The writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject. Example: Sarcastic, hopeful, angry, or formal tone.