Rhetorical Figures Glossary

Figures that create symmetry, proportion, or equilibrium in sentence structure.

Figures that achieve effect through the deliberate repetition of words, sounds, or structures.

Figures that achieve effect by deliberately leaving out or adding connectives and grammatical elements.

Figures that achieve effect through unusual or unexpected arrangement of words.

Figures that create effect through the repetition, arrangement, or quality of sounds.

Figures that create meaning by comparing one thing to another, either explicitly or implicitly.

Figures that replace the expected or literal word with a related term.

Figures that distort magnitude — either amplifying or diminishing — for rhetorical effect.

Figures that exploit multiple meanings, sounds, or senses of words for wit or rhetorical effect.

Figures that create meaning through apparent self-contradiction, reversal, or tension between what is said and what is meant.

Figures that expand, elaborate, or intensify an idea through accumulation, restatement, or vivid description.

Figures that present arguments, generalizations, or wisdom in compressed, memorable forms.

Figures that involve direct address, emotional exclamation, or dramatic breaks in speech for persuasive or expressive effect.