What Is a Cliché? | Definition & Examples

A cliché is an overused and unoriginal expression. For example, when having to decide between two unfavorable options, it’s common to say “caught between a rock and a hard place.”

The word cliché functions as a noun (e.g., “I removed all the clichés from my writing”). While some dictionaries recognize it as an adjective (e.g., “The movie had a cliché storyline”), others list clichéd as the adjective form (e.g., “He had a clichéd perspective”).

What Is a Cliché?

Examples of Cliches
Avoid it like the plague.
Better late than never.

Blood is thicker than water.

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What Is Symbolism? | Definition & Examples

Symbolism involves using a word or object to represent something beyond its literal meaning. For example, a light bulb is an electric device that can also stand for sudden insight or innovation.

Symbolism example
Some symbols are easy to interpret because they have been associated with specific meanings for a long time. For example, a heart symbolizes love and affection, a dove is a symbol of peace, and a globe with Wi-Fi waves signifies an available wireless internet connection.

We encounter symbolism in various aspects of life, including literature, art, and everyday experiences.

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What Is a Paradox? | Definition & Examples

A paradox is a statement or situation that seems absurd initially but can be true or make sense upon further reflection. Because a paradox invites deeper contemplation, it can be used to challenge conventional thinking.

Paradox example
A well-known paradox is the phrase “The only constant in life is change.” This may sound illogical because change and consistency are opposite concepts. However, this phrase encapsulates a deeper truth: that life is characterized by continual change.

Paradoxes are often used in literature, philosophy, and logic.

What Is a Paradox?

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Paraprosdokian | Meaning, Definition & Examples

A paraprosdokian is a sentence or statement with an unexpected and often humorous ending. The surprising twist makes us think and reinterpret the entire phrase.

Paraprosdokians are often used in satire and comedy because they keep the audience engaged and entertained.

Paraprosdokian

Paraprosdokian example
“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it.” —Groucho Marx

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Play on Words | Examples, Meaning & Definition

Play on words is the clever manipulation of language based on the sound and meanings of words. It is a form of verbal wit intended to amuse or surprise an audience. Due to this, we often encounter it in literature, advertising, and everyday conversations.

Play on words example: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
“You see the earth takes twenty-four hours to turn round on its axis

“Talking of axes,” said the Duchess, “chop off her head!”

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What Is Juxtaposition? | Definition & Examples

Juxtaposition is placing two objects, images, or ideas side by side to create a certain effect or make a point. The fact that two things are placed together highlights their differences and similarities, creating contrast. Juxtaposition is common in literature, visual arts, and public speaking.

Juxtaposition example
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness […]

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

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What Is Paronomasia? | Definition & Examples

Paronomasia is a type of play on words. It involves the use of words that are similar in sound or appearance but different in meaning, like “blue” and “blew.”

Because of the possible interpretations, paronomasia creates ambiguous, funny, or thought-provoking sentences. Due to this, we often encounter it in comedy, theatrical plays, and news headlines.

Paronomasia example
“Baking Bad: Police say edible forms of pot hit new high”—this headline about the increase in edible marijuana consumption uses paronomasia twice.

“Bake” or “baked” is a slang term for drug intoxication, and “baking” sounds like “breaking,” an allusion to Breaking Bad, a popular TV series about the illegal drug trade. “High” has a double meaning: it means feeling euphoric due to drugs or something being great in quantity.

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What Is an Allusion? | Definition & Examples

An allusion is an indirect reference to a person, event, or literary work that the audience is expected to recognize and understand. Allusions provide a shortcut to more complex ideas. Because of this, they are often used in literature, poetry, and everyday conversations.

Allusion examples
The new policy might open a box of unknown evils for the government. (a source of unforeseen problems)

He is such a Scrooge with the project budget and gives a hard time to his colleagues. (a stingy character from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol)

Chocolate is my Achilles’ heel. (weakness)

The recent election was a Waterloo for the incumbent governor. (a decisive defeat)

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What Is Pathos? | Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pathos is an emotional appeal employed to elicit a specific emotional response from an audience. This usually involves feelings of pity, sympathy, or sorrow. The intention is to make an audience feel the way the author or speaker wants them to feel.

Pathos example
Advertisements encouraging people to adopt a rescue often show heart-wrenching images of abandoned, injured, or malnourished dogs roaming the streets. These are often juxtaposed with stories of rescued dogs overcoming adversity, accompanied by uplifting music to evoke empathy and compassion from the audience.

“Pathos” is a term mostly used in persuasive speaking and writing, but we also encounter it in literature, film, and advertising.

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What Is Foreshadowing? | Definition & Examples

Foreshadowing provides hints, clues, or indications about what happens later in a story. By preparing readers for future developments, foreshadowing creates anticipation and suspense. This makes it an effective technique used in most types of storytelling, including novels, plays, and movies.

Foreshadowing definition literature
“My life were better ended by their hate,
Than death proroguèd, wanting of thy love.”

In these lines from Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2), Romeo declares that he would rather die at the hands of Julia’s family, the Capulets, than live without her. These words foreshadow the events leading to their deaths: they take their lives due to their families’ feud.

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