Figures of speech use words in expressive or nonliteral ways to create emphasis, comparison, imagery, contrast, rhythm, or a stronger effect. They appear in everyday conversation, literature, speeches, advertising, and many other forms of communication.
Start with 28 Figures of Speech in English for an overview of the main types and examples. You can then explore detailed lessons on simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, irony, oxymoron, euphemism, paradox, rhetorical questions, and other figures of speech.
A figure of speech is a way of using language that goes beyond its literal meaning to make your writing clearer, stronger, or more expressive. You see it in everyday conversations, stories, speeches, and even headlines. When someone says, “The…