30 Figures of Speech You Never Knew Had Names

 

1. Antanagoge - Putting a good point next to a negative one.

 

"It's expensive, but it lasts forever."

 

2. Epizeuxis - Repeating a word immediately for emphasis.

"Alone, alone, all alone..."

 

3. Anacoluthon - A sentence that suddenly breaks in structure.

 

"If you think 1-well, never mind."

 

4. Antimetabole - Repeating words in reverse order.

 

"Eat to live, not live to eat.

 

5. Parataxis - Short, side-by-side statements without connectors.

 

"I came. I saw. I conquered."

 

6. Polysyndeton - Using too many conjunctions on purpose.

"He ran and laughed and danced and cheered.'

 

7. Asyndeton - Removing conjunctions for speed.

 

"Veni, vidi, viel."

 

8. Litotes - Understating something using the negative.

 "Not bad at all."

 

9. Epanalepsis - Ending a sentence with the word it began with.

"The king is dead, long live the king."

 

10. Diacope - Repetition with a word or phrase in between.

 

"To be, or not to be."

 

11. Euphemism - Softer words for harsh realities.

"Passed away" instead of "died."

 

12. Dysphemism - The opposite-saying it harshly on purpose.

"Junk food" instead of "snacks.

 

13. Tautology - Saying the same idea twice.

 

"Free gift."

14. Paraprosdokian - A sentence that ends in a surprise twist.

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening... but this wasn't it.

 

15. Pleonasm - Adding more words than necessary for effect.

 

"Burning fire."

 

16. Synesthesia. - Mixing senses together.

 

"A loud color.

 

17. Aporia - Expressing doubt to engage the audience.

 

"I'm not sure if this is possible..."

 

18. Aposiopesis - Suddenly stopping mid-thought.

 

19. Procatalepsis - "Touch that and I'll-"

 

Anticipating an objection and answering it.

 

20. Tricolon - "You may say this is hard, but..."

 

A set of three rhythmical parts.

 

"Faith, hope, love.

 

21. Chiasmus  Words or ideas mirrored for contrast.

"She has all my love; my heart belongs to her,

 

22. Anthropomorphism - Giving animals human behavior.

 "The dog sighed in disappointment."

 

23. Antiphrasis - Using a word ironically. Calling a tiny dog "Goliath."

 

24. Anadiplosis - Ending one clause with a word that starts the next.

"Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate.

 

25. Bdelygmia -  A list of insults.

 

"You rotten, sneaky, good-for-nothing..

 

26. Epanorthosis - Correcting yourself dramatically. "He's the best-no-the greatest!"

 

27. Hypophora - Asking a question then immediately answering it.

 

"Why learn this? Because it makes your English powerful.

 

28. Isocolon - Parallel phrases with equal length. "More saving. More doing."

 

29. Metanoia - Softening or strengthening a previous statement.

 

"It was the worst day-well, maybe not the worst."

 

30. Zeugma - One word applied to multiple parts of the sentence. "She broke his car and his heart."

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