Rhetorical devices
Got it 👍 here’s a complete Knowt-style flashcard list with all your requested rhetorical devices included — each has a short definition and a clear example (perfect for fast studying or import into Knowt):
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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.
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