Figures of Speech: Definitions and Examples

Idiom

A common expression that doesn't make sense if taken literally. For example, "It's raining cats and dogs" means it's raining heavily, not that animals are falling from the sky.

Simile

A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as." For example, "Her smile is like the sun," comparing a smile to the sun's brightness.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis. For example, "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" emphasizes extreme hunger.

Alliteration

The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a series of words. For example, "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as." For example, "Time is a thief," suggesting that time steals moments from our lives.

Personification

Giving human traits to animals, objects, or ideas. For example, "The wind whispered through the trees," attributing the human action of whispering to the wind.

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates the sound it represents, such as "buzz," "clang," or "sizzle." These words sound like the noise they describe.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech in which two contradictory terms are combined. For example, "bittersweet" or "deafening silence."