AP Lang Rhetorical Vocab

Alliteration

Repetition of the same initial consonant sound in nearby words to create rhythm, emphasis, or memorability.

 Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words, often creating internal rhyming within phrases or sentences

 Example: “The early bird catches the worm.”

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the ends of words, not just at the beginning.

Example: “The ship has sailed to the far off shore.”

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates or resembles the sound it describes.
Example: buzz, hiss, boom, sizzle.

Allegory

An extended narrative in which characters, events, and details stand for abstract ideas or moral concepts, often delivering a lesson.

 Example: George Orwell’s Animal Farm represents communism and totalitarianism.

Analogy

A comparison that shows how two different things are similar in order to explain a concept more clearly.

 Example: “Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re gonna get.”

Symbol

 An object, person, or event that represents a larger idea or abstract concept.

 Example: A dove symbolizes peace.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things, stating that one is the other.

 Example: “Time is a thief.”

Zeugma

A rhetorical device where one word, usually a verb, governs two or more words in different senses, often creating a surprising or witty effect.
Example: “She broke his car and his heart.”

Juxtaposition

Placing two ideas, characters, or images side by side to highlight contrast or emphasize differences.
Example: A dark stormy night described next to a peaceful sunny morning.

Antithesis

The balancing of contrasting ideas in a parallel grammatical structure.
Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

Polysyndeton

The deliberate use of many conjunctions in succession to slow down rhythm or add emphasis.
Example: “And the trees and the grass and the flowers and the birds…”

Asyndeton

The deliberate omission of conjunctions to create a faster pace or sense of urgency.
Example: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

Claim

A statement or assertion that forms the central argument in a piece of writing.

Evidence

The facts, statistics, examples, or testimony used to support a claim.

Warrant

The underlying reasoning or principle that connects evidence to the claim.

Syllogism

A form of reasoning where a conclusion follows from two premises.
Example: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

Chiasmus

 A rhetorical structure in which the order of words is reversed in parallel clauses.
Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”

Parallelism

Using similar grammatical structures to create balance and rhythm.
Example: “Easy come, easy go.”

Repetition

 The reuse of words, phrases, or ideas for emphasis.

Anaphora

The repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive clauses.
Example: “I have a dream…” repeated throughout King’s speech.

Irony

The contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs. Can be verbal, situational, or dramatic.

Parody

An imitation of a style, genre, or work for humorous effect or ridicule.

Sarcasm

A form of verbal irony where the speaker says the opposite of what they mean, usually to mock or criticize.

Satire

The use of humor, exaggeration, irony, or ridicule to expose and criticize flaws in society, politics, or human behavior.

Infer

To draw a conclusion from evidence and reasoning (what the reader does).

Imply

To suggest something indirectly without stating it outright (what the writer/speaker does).

Qualifier / To Qualify

To limit or restrict the strength of a claim by adding conditions or exceptions.
Example: “Usually,” “in some cases,” “to some extent.”

Double Voicing

When a text or statement carries two distinct voices, perspectives, or meanings at once—often used in parody, irony, or dialog.

Didactic

Writing that is instructional or intended to teach a lesson, often moral or educational.

Invective

Language that attacks, insults, or denounces a person, topic, or institution.

Pedantic

Overly concerned with details, rules, or academic precision in a way that may feel dry or nitpicky.

Derogatory

Language that expresses a low opinion or disrespect.

Connotation

The cultural, emotional, or associative meaning of a word beyond its literal definition.
Example: “Home” connotes warmth, comfort, family.

Denotation

The literal dictionary definition of a word.

Diction

The author’s word choice, which affects style, tone, and meaning.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).

Ambiguity

Language that can be interpreted in more than one way.

Ambivalence

The simultaneous presence of opposing feelings or attitudes toward the same thing.

Colloquialism

An informal, conversational expression.
Example: “Gonna,” “y’all,” “kid.”

Euphemism

 A polite or less direct term used in place of something harsh or blunt.
Example: “Passed away” instead of “died.”

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that pairs contradictory terms.
Example: “Bittersweet,” “deafening silence.”

Paradox

A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals a deeper truth.
Example: “Less is more.”

Personification

Attributing human qualities to nonhuman objects, animals, or ideas.
Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”

Metonymy

A substitution of one word for another closely related concept.
Example: “The crown” for monarchy, “the White House” for the U.S. government.

Motif

A recurring symbol, theme, image, or phrase that develops meaning throughout a text.

Theme

The central idea, message, or insight about life that a literary work conveys.

Thesis

The main argument or claim an author puts forward in a piece of writing.

Enumeration

The act of listing items one by one for emphasis, clarity, or structure.

Hyperbole

 Extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
Example: “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

Litotes / Understatement

Expressing something by negating its opposite, or deliberately downplaying it.

Example: “It’s not bad” meaning “It’s good.”

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work that the audience is expected to recognize.
Example: “He’s a real Romeo.”

Aphorism

A short, witty, and memorable statement that expresses a general truth or principle.
Example: “Actions speak louder than words.”

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to form sentences; governs sentence structure.

Clause

A group of words with a subject and a verb. Independent clauses can stand alone; dependent clauses cannot.

Loose Sentence

A sentence in which the main idea comes first, followed by additional details.
Example: “I went to the movies yesterday, bought popcorn, and relaxed with my friends.”

Periodic Sentence

A sentence that withholds the main idea until the end, building suspense.
Example: “Despite the rain, the traffic, and the long drive, we finally arrived.”