Definitions of Comparisons
A comparison using the words like or as.
Simile
His hair was straw.
Metaphor
A figure of speech that uses exaggeration for effect (begins with the letter h)
Hyperbole
Repetition of initial consonant sounds.
Alliteration
A comparison without the words like or as.
Metaphor
Her lips were like ice.
Simile
The deliberate contrast of characters, settings, or situations for effect. (begins with the letter j)
Juxtaposition
Language that evokes sensory impressions.
Imagery
The extension of human attributes to objects or to abstract ideas.
Personification
Of course I believe you, Mother Theresa.
Allusion
An apparently self-contradictory statement that is, in fact, true. (begins with the letter p)
Paradox
Words that seem to imitate the sounds to which they refer.
Onomatopoeia
A comparison that is made to explain something that is unfamiliar by presenting an example that is similar or parallel to it in some significant way.
Analogy
The wind whispered softly in the night.
Personification
“That will cost and arm and a leg” and "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" are examples.
Hyperbole
“She sells seashells by the sea shore” is an example.
Alliteration
Indirect or passing reference to some person, place, or event; or to a piece of literate or art. The nature of the reference is not explained because the writer relies on the reader’s familiarity with it.
Allusion
A cat has four legs, fur and begs for treats; so does a dog.
Analogy
“Less is more” and “youth is wasted on the young” are examples.
Paradox
“A forest fire was flaring and shimmering against the overcast like the northern lights” is an example.
Imagery