A truism is a self-evident statement that is too obvious and hardly worth mentioning.
While truisms can sometimes be seen as lacking originality or depth, they can also be valuable for conveying universal truths in a relatable way. Because of this, we encounter them in different contexts, including literature, public speaking, and casual conversations.
Continue reading: What Is a Truism? | Definition & Examples
A spoonerism is the transposition of the initial sounds of two or more words, like “belly jeans” instead of “jelly beans.” Spoonerisms occur mostly due to slip of the tongue but can also be intentional as a form of humor.
| Correct phrase | Spoonerism |
|---|---|
| take a shower | shake a tower |
| bad salad | sad ballad |
| pork chops | chork pops |
| grilled cheese | chilled grease |
Continue reading: What Is a Spoonerism? | Definition & Examples
A mondegreen is a word or phrase that results from mishearing another word or phrase, especially in a song lyric or poem. This can lead to amusing or bizarre misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Mondegreens occur mainly due to similar-sounding words.
| Song | Correct phrase | Misinterpretation |
|---|---|---|
| “Silent Night” (Christmas carol) | Sleep in heavenly peace. | Sleep in heavenly peas. |
| “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan | The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind. | The ants are my friends, they’re blowin’ in the wind. |
| “Chasing Pavements” by Adele | Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements? | Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing penguins? |
| “Beast of Burden” by The Rolling Stones | I’ll never be your beast of burden. | I’ll never leave your pizza burning. |
Continue reading: Mondegreen | Meaning, Definition & Examples
An aphorism is a brief statement that expresses a general truth or principle about life. Aphorisms can be humorous and often require interpretation. Due to their clever and memorable nature, aphorisms are commonly found in literature, philosophy, and everyday conversations.
“Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” – Confucius
“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” – Albert Einstein
Continue reading: What Is an Aphorism? | Definition, Examples & Meaning
Invective is insulting, abusive, or highly critical language. It involves using disparaging words to attack a person, a topic, or an institution. While invective is common in everyday communication, it is also a literary device used in speeches, prose, and poetry.
Continue reading: What Is Invective? | Definition, Meaning & Examples
Synecdoche is a figure of speech that uses a part of something to refer to the whole (e.g., using the word “wheels” to refer to a car). Sometimes, synecdoche involves using the whole to refer to a part (e.g., referring to the Brazilian football team as “Brazil”).
Synecdoche is an effective literary device for creating memorable images and avoiding repetition. Because of this, it is commonly used in poetry, literature, and everyday speech.
Do you want to explore creative writing? Try QuillBot’s Paraphraser to find your voice.
Would you like paper or plastic? [types of grocery bag]
Can I buy you a glass? [a drink]
They have boots on the ground for a serious mission. [soldiers]
Continue reading: What Is Synecdoche? | Definition & Examples
Irony is a rhetorical device in which the apparent meaning of a situation or statement is not the same as the underlying meaning. Irony involves a contrast between appearance or expectation and reality.
Irony is often used in literature, but you may also encounter it in everyday conversations, movies, or song lyrics. It’s best to avoid irony in academic writing or professional communication to prevent miscommunications.
Do you want to explore creative writing? QuillBot’s Paraphraser can help you find your voice.
Continue reading: What Is Irony? | Definition, Examples & Types
Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a word is replaced with another word closely associated with the original concept, such as “love” with “heart.”
Metonymy is used to create vivid imagery, add layers of meaning to a text, and convey ideas in a concise way. It’s commonly used in literature, newspaper headlines, and everyday speech.
The White House declined to comment.
Tom’s favorite dish is mac and cheese.
They had a Monet hanging on their wall, and they didn’t know.
The use of metonymy is common in literature and in everyday conversations, but it should be avoided in academic writing or professional communication.
Continue reading: What Is Metonymy? | Definition & Examples
In rhetoric, a trope is a word or phrase that implies something different to its ordinary meaning. Instead of its literal meaning, a trope generates a figurative meaning. This is usually done to add flair to written or spoken language.
In this quote from All’s Well that Ends Well, Shakespeare does not literally mean that life is a web. Instead, he uses a trope called a metaphor to suggest that life resembles a web: it is complicated and the good and the bad are entangled.
Tropes are common in literature, but also in everyday speech, advertising, and politics. If you want to explore creative writing, use QuillBot to quickly and easily paraphrase online.
Continue reading: What Is a Trope? | Definition & Examples
An extended metaphor is a literary device in which a metaphor continues for several lines or paragraphs. Just like a simple metaphor, it makes a comparison between two things or ideas. However, it is not limited to one sentence.
In these lines from Meditation XVII, John Donne uses an extended metaphor: he compares individual people to islands and society or humanity to a continent. By doing so, he conveys the idea that no one exists in isolation and that we are all interconnected because we are part of mankind.
Extended metaphors are common in poetry, but they are also used in prose.
Continue reading: What Is an Extended Metaphor? | Definition & Examples
