Literary Devices
Literary devices organized by category, with definitions and examples.
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| ID | Device | Category | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simile | Figurative language | Compares two things using like or as | She was as brave as a lion |
| 2 | Metaphor | Figurative language | States that one thing is another for effect | Time is a thief |
| 3 | Personification | Figurative language | Gives human traits to nonhuman things | The wind whispered through the trees |
| 4 | Hyperbole | Figurative language | Uses deliberate exaggeration for emphasis | I have told you a million times |
| 5 | Metonymy | Figurative language | Names a thing by something closely linked to it | The crown announced new laws |
| 6 | Synecdoche | Figurative language | Uses a part to stand for the whole | All hands on deck |
| 7 | Idiom | Figurative language | A set phrase whose meaning is not literal | It is raining cats and dogs |
| 8 | Oxymoron | Figurative language | Joins two contradictory terms | A deafening silence filled the room |
| 9 | Symbolism | Figurative language | Uses an object to represent a larger idea | A dove stands for peace |
| 10 | Allegory | Figurative language | A story that carries a hidden moral meaning | Animal Farm mirrors a political revolution |
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Scope and sources
Last changed: July 20, 2026. This may reflect a change to the data or its description; it is not a coverage-through date.
- Wikipedia: Glossary of literary terms (used with permission)
A complete download includes all 52 records currently held in this dataset. Check the description and sources to decide whether its scope fits your project.
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