Language & Reference · Reference dataset
Literary Devices
Literary devices organized by category, with definitions and examples.
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The 10 most recently added of 52 records · Select a column heading to sort.
| ID | Device | Category | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | Antithesis | Rhetoric | Sets contrasting ideas in balanced phrasing | It was the best of times it was the worst of times |
| 44 | Chiasmus | Rhetoric | Reverses the order of parallel phrases | Ask not what your country can do for you |
| 45 | Rhetorical question | Rhetoric | A question asked for effect not an answer | Who does not love a warm summer evening |
| 46 | Apostrophe | Rhetoric | Directly addresses an absent or abstract thing | O Death where is thy sting |
| 47 | Paradox | Rhetoric | A statement that seems false yet holds truth | Less is more |
| 48 | Repetition | Rhetoric | Repeats words or phrases for emphasis | Never never never give up |
| 49 | Zeugma | Rhetoric | One word governs two others in different ways | She broke his car and his heart |
| 50 | Malapropism | Rhetoric | A comic mix up of similar sounding words | He is the very pineapple of politeness |
| 51 | Hypophora | Rhetoric | Poses a question then answers it at once | What should we do first We should plan |
| 52 | Irony | Rhetoric | A contrast between appearance and reality | A plumber whose own pipes always leak |
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Scope and sources
Last checked against sources: October 16, 2026.
Last changed: July 20, 2026. This is when we last changed the data or its description. It doesn’t mean the data runs up to that date.
- Wikipedia: Glossary of literary terms (used with permission)
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