Figurative Language Definitions
A comparison that says one thing is another thing.
Metaphor
as quiet as a mouse • as fast as lightning • a blanket of snow • as cold as ice
a blanket of snow
BOOM! The thunder shook the windows.
Onomatopoeia
A comparison using like or as.
Simile
The old house groaned as the wind blew through the windows.
Personification
When a symbol represents a larger idea or meaning.
Symbolism
buzz • crash • pop • emotion
emotion
The moon was a giant flashlight shining over the neighborhood.
Metaphor
Repetition of the same beginning sound in nearby words.
Alliteration
The broken chain resembled freedom
Symbolism
A description that helps the reader picture, hear, smell, taste, or feel something
Imagery
the angry clouds • the mountain was a giant • the laughing river • the dancing trees
the mountain was a giant
I am so hungry I could eat an entire elephant!
Hyperbole
A phrase that means something different from its literal meaning.
Idiom
The student said he was feeling blue after losing the championship game.
Idiom
Two words or ideas that seem to contradict each other.
Oxymoron
He was a real Romeo with the ladies • break a leg • spill the beans • hit the books
He was a real Romeo with the ladies
The firefighter's house caught fire while he was teaching a class about fire safety.
Irony
A comparison or reference to a well-known person, place, event, character, or story.
Allusion
The bakers bread was warm and golden, with a buttery smell filling the kitchen.
Imagery
When what happens is different from what is expected, often in an amusing or surprising way.
Irony
She has an Achilles' heel • Hit the nail on the head • It was a regular witch hunt • He is a regular Einstein
Hit the nail on the head
She was as brave as Mulan when she stood up for her friend.
Allusion
An extreme exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
Hyperbole
The tiny giant stood at the front of the line.
Oxymoron