Figures of Speech

Definition & Examples

When & How to Use Figures of Speech

Quiz

I. What are Figures of Speech?

A figure of speech is a word or phrase using figurative language—language that has other meaning than
its normal definition. In other words, figures of speeches rely on implied or suggested meaning, rather
than a dictionary definition. We express and develop them through hundreds of different rhetorical
techniques, from specific types like metaphors and similes, to more general forms like sarcasm and slang.

Figures of speech make up a huge portion of the English language, making it more creative, more
expressive, and just more interesting! Many have been around for hundreds of years—some even
thousands—and more are added to our language essentially every day. This article will focus on a few
key forms of figures of speech, but remember, the types are nearly endless!

III. Types of Figure of Speech

There are countless figures of speech in every language, and they fall into hundreds of categories. Here,
though, is a short list of some of the most common types of figure of speech:

A. Metaphor

Many common figures of speech are metaphors. That is, they use words in a manner other than their
literal meaning. However, metaphors use figurative language to make comparisons between unrelated
things or ideas. The “peak of her career,” for example, is a metaphor, since a career is not a literal
mountain with a peak, but the metaphor represents the idea of arriving at the highest point of one’s
career.

B. Idiom

An idiom is a common phrase with a figurative meaning. Idioms are different from other figures of
speech in that their figurative meanings are mostly known within a particular language, culture, or group
of people. In fact, the English language alone has about 25,000 idioms. Some examples include “it’s
raining cats and dogs” when it is raining hard, or “break a leg” when wishing someone good luck.

Example

This sentence uses an idiom to make it more interesting:

There’s a supermarket and a pharmacy in the mall, so if we go there, we can kill two birds with one
stone.

The idiom is a common way of saying that two tasks can be completed in the same amount of time or
same place.

C. Proverb

A proverb is a short, commonplace saying that is universally understood in today’s language and used to
express general truths. “Don’t cry over spilt milk” is a popular example. Most proverbs employ
metaphors (e.g. the proverb about milk isn’t literally about milk).
Example

This example uses a proverb to emphasize the situation:

I know you think you’re going to sell all of those cookies, but don’t count your chickens before they
hatch!

Here, “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” means that you shouldn’t act like something has
happened before it actually does.

D. Simile

A simile is a very common figure of speech that uses the words “like” and “as” to compare two things
that are not related by definition. For example, “he is as tall as a mountain,” doesn’t mean he was
actually 1,000 feet tall, it just means he was really tall.

Example

This example uses a simile for comparison:

The internet is like a window to the world—you can learn about everything online!

The common phrase “window to the world” refers to a hypothetical window that lets you see the whole
world from it. So, saying the internet is like a window to the world implies that it lets you see anything
and everything.
E. Oxymoron

An oxymoron is when you use two words together that have contradictory meanings. Some common
examples include small crowd, definitely possible, old news, little giant, and so on.

F. Metonym

A metonym is a word or phrase that is used to represent something related to bigger meaning. For
example, fleets are sometimes described as being “thirty sails strong,” meaning thirty (curiously, this
metonym survives in some places, even when the ships in question are not sail-powered!) Similarly, the
crew on board those ships may be described as “hands” rather than people.

G. Irony

Irony is when a word or phrase’s literal meaning is the opposite of its figurative meaning. Many times
(but not always), irony is expressed with sarcasm (see Related Terms). For example, maybe you eat a
really bad cookie, and then say “Wow, that was the best cookie I ever had”—of course, what you really
mean is that it’s the worst cookie you ever had, but being ironic actually emphasizes just how bad it was!
IV. The Importance of Figures of Speech

In general, the purpose of a figure of speech is to lend texture and color to your writing. (This is itself a
figure of speech, since figures of speech don’t actually change the colors or textures on the page!) For
instance, metaphors allow you to add key details that make the writing more lively and relatable. Slang
and verbal irony, on the other hand, make the writing seem much more informal and youthful (although
they can have the opposite effect when misused!) Finally, other figures of speech, like idioms and
proverbs, allows a writer to draw on a rich cultural tradition and express complex ideas in a short space.

V. Examples of Figures of Speech in Literature

Example 1

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their
entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.” (William Shakespeare, As You Like It)

This is one of the most famous metaphors ever crafted in the English language. Shakespeare uses his
extended metaphor to persuade the audience of the similarities between the stage and real life. But
rather than making his play seem more like life, he suggests that life is more like a play. His metaphor
calls attention to the performative, creative, and fictional aspects of human life.

Example 2

“Our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind.” (Khalil Gibran, Sand & Foam)

Gibran’s timeless metaphor succeeds for a number of reasons. For one thing, it is not a cliché – had
Gibran said “words are just the tip of the iceberg,” he would have been making roughly the same point,
but in a much more clichéd way. But the feast of the mind is a highly original metaphor. In addition, it’s a
successful double metaphor. The crumbs and the feast are two parts of the same image, but they work
together rather than being “mixed” (see How to Use Figures of Speech).

Example 3

“If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both.” (Russian Proverb)

Like many proverbs, this one draws on a simple metaphor of chasing rabbits. The rabbits can stand in for
all sorts of objectives, from jobs to relationships, but the coded message is quite clear – focus your
energy on a single objective, or you will likely fail. This literal statement, though, is quite dry and not
terribly memorable, which shows the power of figures of speech.

VI. Examples of Figures of Speech in Pop Culture

Example 1

The chorus to Sean Kingston’s Fire Burning contains a couple of figures of speech. First of all, there’s the
word “shorty” used as a slang term (see Related Terms) for a young woman. She may or may not be
literally short, but the figure of speech applies either way (though it could easily be taken as belittling
and derogatory). Second, Kingston sings the metaphor: “she’s fire, burning on the dance floor.” Hopefully
this is a figure of speech and not a literal statement; otherwise, Kingston and everyone else in the club
are in mortal danger!

Example 2
“Oh, thanks! This is much better!” (Townspeople, South Park)

This is an example of irony. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, South Park satirized the government’s
response to the disaster by writing about a similar disaster in South Park. In a bumbling effort to rescue
people from the floods, the authorities accidentally spill oil on the flood waters and set it on fire, making
the situation far more dangerous. In response, they ironically “thank” the people responsible—their
meaning is obviously the opposite of their words!

Example 3

“Years of talks between Washington and Havana resulted in Obama’s historic visit to Cuba on March
21st.” (Patreon 2016)

This is a common form of metonym in foreign policy and news media. The capital city of a country is
used as a metonym for the national government. The talks, of course, are not literally between these two
cities, but between the leaders and government officials of the two countries (US and Cuba).

VII. Related Terms

Literal and Figurative Language

Language is generally divided into two categories: literal, and figurative. Literal language relies on the
real definition of words and phrases, or their literal meanings. Figurative language, on the other hand,
relies on implied meanings, which can be understood differently depending on the location or who is
using it. For example, “the sky is blue” relies on the literal definition of the word “blue,” while “I am
feeling blue” relies on the figurative definition. All figures of speech rely on the use of figurative language
for their meaning.

Sarcasm

Sarcasm is mocking or bitter language that we use to express different meaning than what we say; often
the exact opposite. When your intended meaning is the opposite of the literal meaning, that’s irony
(another type of figure of speech), which includes common phrases like “Oh, great…” when you really
mean something is bad.

Slang

Slang is language that uses atypical words and phrases to express specific meanings. It varies greatly by
region, demographic, and language—for example, you would find different slang in the U.S. and in the
U.K. even though they are both English speaking countries. Likewise, teenagers and the elderly will use
different slang terms, as would Spanish and English. Many slang terms are figures of speech. For
example, “bro” could be used to describe a friend rather than an actual brother; this would be using the
word as a figure of speech.