Poetic Devices 21-40

Synecdoche

A part of something is used to represent the whole thing. Ex: 4 Mouths to feed at home

Parallelism

A recurrent similarity in grammatical usage. Ex: Of the people, by the people, for the people.

Zeugma

A word applies to two others in different sentences. Ex: You are free to execute your laws and your citizens.

Apostrophe

Addressing a non-living object. Ex: Life why do you suck

Antithesis

Contrasting ideas in one sentence or phrase. Ex: Best, worst

Hyperbole

Obvious and intentional over-exaggeration.

Conceit

Extended metaphor that compares two very dissimilar things.

Understatment

Makes a situation seem less important or series than it is.

Rhetorical question

Question that does not expect an answer. Ex: Do you think I am stupid?

Anadiplosis

Repetition in which the last words of the sentence are used to begin the next sentence or phrase.

Polysyndeton

Repetition of conjunctions in a series of coordinate words, phrases, or clauses. Ex: I climbed and ran and ate.

Epiphora

Repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or lines.

Anaphora

Repetition of the same word or phrase at the start of sentence

Tmesis

Separation of the parts of a compound word by another word or words.

Metonymy

The name of one object is substituted for something closely associated with it. Ex: The crown taxed us.

Asyndeton

The omission of conjunctions where they would normally be used. Ex: I came, I saw, I conquered.

Litotes

Understatement made by denying the opposite of the condition. Ex: The trip was no easy journey.

Chiasmus

Verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first. Ex: Fair is foul, foul is fair.

Antimetabole

Verbal pattern where the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the words in reverse grammatical order. Ex: We didn't land on plymouth rock; plymouth rock landed on us.

Rhetorical Fragment

incomplete sentence that is used for persuading. Ex: Needs more.