essay with figurative language examples

75+ Examples of Figurative Language

• Figurative Language
• Published on Oct 23, 2021

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Figurative language makes writing – and even speaking – more expressive and easier to understand. When done well, it lends style to your writing.

More resources on figurative language:

• What is figurative language? The resource covers how figurative language improves writing, dos and don’ts while writing figuratively, and more.
• Exercises on figurative language

(Note that key parts of each figure of speech have been underlined for you to easily follow them and that my comments accompanying examples are in square brackets.)

Examples of using different types of figurative language on a given topic

When writing on a topic, it’s convenient to first brainstorm and write variety of figures of speech on that topic, and then incorporate them in your piece. This is probably a better way to polish your figurative language. Here are multiple figures of speech on two topics. Give a try yourself first and see how many you can write.

1. Cold weather

Fetching grocery in the cold was a death sentence . [Metaphor]

The snowstorm left behind a thick blanket of snow in most parts of the state, government declaring emergency , people staying indoors , air traffic grounding , and power failing in some areas . [Metaphor/ Parallelism (absolute phrases)]

The predawn snowfall smothered our chances of having an outdoor game. [Personification/ Metaphor]

The cold wind pierced my bones. [Personification/ Metaphor]

Fetching grocery in the cold was like a death sentence . [Simile]

It was a frigid night, freezing blood in my veins . [Hyperbole/ Alliteration]

“When will the weather improve?” the old man moaned . [Onomatopoeia]

The dog yelped as the gust of cold wind struck his face. [Onomatopoeia]

2. Nervous while waiting for the result

My heart skipped few beats while waiting for the result. [Idiom]

My heart failed few times while waiting for the result. [Hyperbole/ Alliteration (2)]

In the moments before the result was declared, I was an undertrial moments away from the verdict . [Metaphor]

While waiting for the result, my heart requested me to take a stroll and stop thinking about the worst. [Personification/ Metaphor]

In the moments before the result was declared, I was like an undertrial moments away from the verdict . [Simile]

While waiting for the result, my heart pounded like a set of drums in a music event . [Onomatopoeia/ Simile]

Examples of each of 8 figurative languages

1. alliteration.

The dog sprinted across the field to fetch the ball.

The virulent virus has disrupted lives and deflated economies.

In these troubled times , travel has come down to a trickle .

The iguanas make deep dives in the ocean to feed on marine algae.

The shark surfaced to breathe.

The slow sloth inched up the tree trunk .

The business centre is buzzing with activity.

The deafening downpour has resulted in flash floods .

More resources on alliteration:

• More than 150 alliteration examples on 7 topics
• What is alliteration and how to write one?

2. Hyperbole

I felt as abandoned as a used Kleenex .

During probation period, I felt like a bug under the microscope .

The movie went on for what seemed like  an eternity .

The leaping catch by the fielder took my breath away .

Your decrepit furniture seems to be from Jurassic era .

My new shoes, little bit tight, are killing me.

Kids are so overloaded these days. Just look at their bags; they weigh a ton .

The food was so delicious that I almost ate my fingers .

More resources on hyperbole:

• More than 100 examples of hyperbole
• What is hyperbole and how to write one?

The scandal proved to be the final nail in the coffin of the mayor.

Some of the bank employees have been allegedly working hand in glove with business owners to sanction loans without proper due diligence.

I jumped the gun by sending the proposal to the client without first showing it to my manager.

I’ve made the request few times in the past, but it has always fallen on deaf ears .

The boss cut that arrogant guy to size in no time.

I spent two hours cooling my heels in the waiting room while the CFO was busy in a meeting.

I was left out in the cold in the annual promotions in the company.

The IP for our key technology has been leaked, and many in my team, including the manager, are under a cloud .

More resources on idiom:

• More than 200 idioms with meaning and use
• What are idioms and why non-natives should learn them?

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4. Metaphor

During the moments before the result was declared, I was a tax payer who had just received an audit notice from the IRA : extremely nervous.

My loans are a millstone around my neck , keeping me tied to my 9-to-5 job.

My night shift is a graveyard : not a soul in sight, complete silence, and an occasional howl from the street dogs.

Journalism is literature in hurry . Matthew Arnold

The world is a stage , but the play is badly cast. Oscar Wilde

Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it . Albert Smith

Jonah Lomu, a rampaging bull with the ball , is widely recognized as one of the greatest of the game. [An appositive acting as a metaphor]

His fortress of a house was finally breached by the intelligence agencies. [Implied metaphor]

More resources on metaphor:

• More than 100 examples of metaphors
• Metaphor examples for kids
• What is metaphor and how to write one?

5. Onomatopoeia

Nervous, I babbled my way through the first few minutes of the interview.

Finding the sheep at her mercy, the witch cackled before waving her wand.

I caught my head on the door and howled in pain.

The car screeched to a stop.

I was taken aback by the dog’s snarl ; a moment earlier, he seemed so friendly.

I was chomping my chicken piece unconcerned by the reaction of others around.

Don’t slurp the soup! It’s bad manners.

The race car turned the curve and then vroomed on the home stretch.

More resources on onomatopoeia:

• Examples of 140+ onomatopoeic words (with meaning and use)
• What is onomatopoeia and its common errors?

6. Parallelism

Many accidents could be attributed to human errors, but faulty road design , absence of street lights , lack of dividers , and potholes on roads also contribute to such incidents. Source [Noun phrases in parallel]

Cheetah hunts impalas and rabbits , lives in coalition and singly , and communicates through variety of sounds . [Verb phrases in parallel]

Usain Bolt was quick off the blocks , fast in the middle , and exceptional at the finish . [Adjective phrases in parallel]

Located at the end of the street and protected by a sturdy fence , the house has had no occupants in nearly two years. [Past participial phrases in parallel]

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant . Robert Louis Stevenson [Prepositional phrase in parallel]

Live in the sunshine , swim the sea , drink the wild air . Ralph Waldo Emerson [Clauses in parallel. Note that you don’t see a subject here because it’s an imperative sentence.]

Joe’s dress was better than that of Mac . [Parallelism when comparing]

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t , you’re right. Henry Ford [Parallelism with correlative conjunction]

More resources on parallelism:

• More than 80 examples of parallelism
• How to write parallel sentences that make writing impactful?

7. Personification

Covid-19 stalked continent after continent with no remorse.

My first novel got crucified .

Chocolate frog, a new species of frog found, has been shying away from mankind for time immemorial.

The kettle hissed and bellowed steam.

Saying they were last polished two weeks back, the shoes begged for a polish.

The lock shrieked in pain as I rattled the wrong key in it.

The carved pumpkin sat on the table, smiling and observing Halloween preparations.

The ball, after being hit hard, sailed over the boundary line and landed in the third tier of the stadium

More resources on personification:

• More than 180 examples of personification
• What is personification and how to write one step-by-step?

Investing in such junk bonds is like carrying water in a sieve .

I had grand dreams, but, when faced with reality, they went down, much like how Titanic went down after colliding with the iceberg .

The vagabond roamed the streets like a tin can swept by wind .

Playing polo is like trying to play golf during an earthquake . Sylvester Stallone

The hackers made off with millions of dollars from the bank, taking advantage of their lax security which was as strong as the one provided by our street dog drunk on a liter of beer .

Public speaking is as easy for me as putting toothpaste back in tube .

The seal couldn’t escape from the shark’s vice-like grip . [An adjective acting as simile]

His concern for building a career was no more than the concern of well-fed lions for the next meal . [Similes formed through comparison words other than like and as ]

More resources on simile:

• More than 120 examples of similes
• Simile examples for kids
• What is simile and how to write one?

Anil is the person behind this website. He writes on most aspects of English Language Skills. More about him here:

Figurative Language

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We want to make our poems to be understood. We use literary jargon and figurative language to make this happen. There are a lot of ways to use figurative language and the most common way is in poetry. When you want your writing to pop, use figurative language.

What is Figurative Language?

Figurative language is a literary device that authors use to create vivid imagery, express complex ideas, and convey emotions in a more powerful and imaginative manner. It goes beyond the literal meaning of words to achieve a more compelling, deeper level of understanding or to add beauty or interest to the writing. Figurative language includes various forms, such as metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, and idioms, among others.

Types of Figurative Language with Examples

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• Example: “Life is like a box of chocolates.”
• Example: “The world is a stage.”
• Example: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
• Example: “I’ve told you a million times.”
• Example: “It’s just a scratch,” for a large wound.
• Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
• Example: “I rose and told him of my woe.”
• Example: “The bees buzzed.”
• Example: “Break a leg.”
• Example: “Deafening silence.”
• Example: “I am nobody.”
• Example: “Great! Another traffic jam.”
• Example: “A dove represents peace.”
• Example: “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
• Example: “All hands on deck.”
• Example: “I used to be a baker because I kneaded dough.”
• Example: “Passed away” instead of “died.”
• Example: “Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better.”
• Example: “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”
• Example: “She’s not unkind.”
• Example: “O death, where is thy sting?”
• Example: In many fables, animals speak and make decisions like humans.
• Example: “He fought like a lion.”
• Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
• Example: “He caught a fish and a cold.”
• Example: “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
• Example: “The man with the crown” instead of “the king.”
• Example: “Animal Farm” by George Orwell is an allegory for the Russian Revolution.
• Example: “The clash and clang of steel jarred him awake.”
• Example: “The ripple of the stream and the rustling of the leaves.”
• Example: “With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder.”
• Example: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
• Example: “We have ships and men and money and stores.”
• Example: “Tasting of Flora and the country green, Dance, and Provencal song, and sunburnt mirth!”
• Example: “I will not mention the fact that I was late.”
• Example: “Free gift” – since gifts are by definition free

Purpose of Figurative Language

1. creates stronger imagery.

• Example: The metaphor “The classroom was a zoo” creates a vivid image of chaos and noise without stating it explicitly.

Figurative language, like similes and metaphors, helps create vivid pictures in the reader’s mind, making descriptions more engaging and memorable.

2. Conveys Emotions Effectively

• Example: The use of personification in “The wind whispered through the trees” suggests a serene and secretive atmosphere.

It allows writers to express complex emotions and mood in an indirect but powerful way, touching the reader’s emotions deeply.

3. Makes Writing More Persuasive

• Example: Hyperbole in advertising, such as “This car flies down the highway,” emphasizes the product’s speed and efficiency.

By exaggerating or emphasizing certain qualities, figurative language can make arguments and persuasive texts more compelling.

4. Engages the Reader’s Senses

• Example: Onomatopoeia in “The bees buzzed,” engages the reader’s hearing, adding a layer of realism to the description.

This sensory engagement helps readers experience the text more fully, as if they were witnessing the story first hand.

5. Enhances Symbolism

• Example: A metaphor like “Time is a thief” implies that time stealthily takes away our youth, opportunities, or happiness, introducing a symbolic layer to the text.

Figurative language often carries deeper meanings and themes, encouraging readers to think more critically about the text.

6. Facilitates Universal Connections

• Example: Similes and metaphors can make complex or abstract concepts more relatable by comparing them to common experiences.

This can bridge cultural and personal gaps, making the content more accessible to a wider audience.

7. Adds Humor and Wit

• Example: Puns and wordplay, such as “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana,” add a layer of humor and cleverness to writing.

Figurative language can lighten the tone of a text, making it more enjoyable and engaging for the reader.

8. Encourages Creative Thinking

• Example: The metaphor “Life is a highway” encourages readers to consider the many paths and journeys life encompasses.

How to Use Figurative Language in Your Own Writing

Incorporating figurative language into your writing can elevate your prose, engage your readers more deeply, and convey your ideas in more vivid and imaginative ways. Here are practical points on how to effectively use figurative language in your writing:

1. Understand Different Types

Similes compare two things using “like” or “as” (e.g., “Her smile was as bright as the sun”). Metaphors make direct comparisons without using “like” or “as” (e.g., “Time is a thief”). Personification gives human characteristics to non-human things (e.g., “The wind howled in the night”). Hyperbole involves exaggerated statement (e.g., “I’ve told you a million times”). Onomatopoeia uses words that imitate sounds (e.g., “The bees buzzed”). Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant words at the beginning of words (e.g., “She sells seashells by the seashore”). Assonance involves the repetition of vowel sounds within words (e.g., “The early bird catches the worm”). Irony conveys a meaning opposite to the literal meaning (e.g., saying “What a pleasant day” during a storm).

2. Use Sparingly

Avoid overloading your text with figurative language, as it can become confusing or overwhelming. Use it to enhance your writing, not overshadow it.

3. Match the Tone

Ensure the figurative language you choose fits the tone and style of your writing. For example, a serious essay might not be the best place for a playful pun.

4. Enhance Imagery and Emotion

Use metaphors, similes, and personification to create vivid imagery and evoke strong emotions in your readers.

5. Be Original

Strive for originality in your comparisons. Avoid clichés, as they can make your writing seem unoriginal or lazy.

6. Align with Your Message

Your chosen figurative language should reinforce your message or theme, not distract from it. Ensure there’s a clear connection to your main points.

7. Practice Creativity

Experiment with different forms of figurative language to discover what best enhances your writing style and voice.

8. Read and Analyze

Read widely and analyze how other authors use figurative language effectively. Notice what works and what doesn’t in various contexts.

9. Revise and Refine

Review your use of figurative language during the revision process. Sometimes, what seemed like a great metaphor at first might not fit as well upon reflection.

10. Solicit Feedback

Get feedback from others on your use of figurative language. What might be clear and vivid to you could be confusing or obscure to someone else.

Function of Figurative Language

Figurative language, an essential component of both written and spoken communication, serves several key functions in enriching text and speech. Here are some significant points outlining its function:

1. Enhances Imagery

• It creates vivid and powerful imagery in the reader’s mind, making descriptions more engaging and memorable. For example, saying “the fabric of the night” instead of “the darkness of the night” paints a more detailed picture.

2. Expresses Emotions

• Figurative language can convey complex emotions more effectively than straightforward descriptions, allowing writers to express feelings in a nuanced and impactful way.

3. Adds Depth to Writing

• By introducing symbolism and deeper meanings, it adds layers of interpretation to text, encouraging readers to think more critically and engage more deeply with the material.

4. Makes Writing More Engaging

• The use of figurative language can make texts more interesting and enjoyable to read, capturing the reader’s attention and holding it.

5. Facilitates Understanding

• Through analogies and metaphors, abstract or complex ideas can be explained in simpler, more relatable terms, making the content more accessible to a wider audience.

6. Conveys Tone and Atmosphere

• It plays a crucial role in setting the tone and atmosphere of a piece, helping to convey the author’s attitude towards the subject or the mood of the scene.

7. Encourages Creativity

• Both writers and readers benefit from the creative use of language, encouraging a more imaginative approach to thinking and writing.

8. Facilitates Persuasion

• In rhetoric and advertising, figurative language can be used to persuade more effectively, making arguments and propositions more compelling.

9. Builds Connections

• It helps build connections between unrelated concepts, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the text.

10. Adds Rhythmic Qualities

• Through devices like alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia, figurative language adds a musical quality to prose or poetry, enhancing its aesthetic appeal.

2 Examples of Figurative Language in Literature and Poetry

1. metaphor in literature: “to kill a mockingbird” by harper lee.

• Example: “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy… but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

In this metaphor from Harper Lee’s classic, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” mockingbirds are used to symbolize innocence and purity. The metaphor conveys the theme of the novel – the idea of harming something or someone innocent and the injustices of prejudice and racism. It’s a powerful use of figurative language that encapsulates one of the novel’s central messages.

2. Personification and Simile in Poetry: “Daffodils” by William Wordsworth

• Example: “I wandered lonely as a cloud / That floats on high o’er vales and hills, / When all at once I saw a crowd, / A host, of golden daffodils; / Beside the lake, beneath the trees, / Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”

20+ Figurative Language Examples in Sentence

Is figurative language hard.

Figurative language can be challenging for beginners as it involves understanding beyond the literal meanings of words. It requires recognizing and interpreting the deeper, symbolic meanings conveyed, which can be complex but becomes easier with practice and exposure.

What is Figurative Language in One Word?

Symbolism encapsulates the essence of figurative language in one word. It involves using symbols or indirect suggestions to express ideas and emotions, conveying meanings beyond the literal.

What is Figurative vs Language?

Figurative language uses creative, non-literal expressions to convey deeper meanings or add emphasis. In contrast, “language” refers to the system of communication in spoken or written form, encompassing both literal and figurative expressions.

What is Figurative Called?

Figurative language is often referred to as “figurative speech” or “figurative expression.” It encompasses various techniques like metaphors, similes, and personification to convey meaning in a nuanced and impactful way.

Why Do We Use Figurative Language?

We use figurative language to add depth, beauty, and effectiveness to our communication. It helps express complex ideas and emotions more vividly, making texts more engaging and memorable by invoking imagination and eliciting emotional responses.

How Do You Find Figurative Language?

To find figurative language, look for phrases that don’t have their usual, literal meaning. Key indicators include comparisons (like similes and metaphors), exaggerations (hyperbole), and attributing human qualities to non-human things (personification).

Is Repetition Figurative Language?

Repetition itself is not figurative language but a rhetorical device used to emphasize a point or idea. However, it can enhance the effect of figurative language by reinforcing the imagery or emotional impact of the expression

What is the difference between sarcasm and irony?

The difference between sarcasm and irony is, sarcasm is a form of irony that is intended to criticize or hurt someone. Irony is a figurative language, and it gives out the opposite of what is being said.

What are common types of figurative language?

Common types include metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, and idioms, each serving to convey ideas in imaginative and impactful ways.

How can figurative language improve storytelling?

Figurative language enriches storytelling by creating vivid imagery, evoking emotions, and helping readers connect with characters and settings on a deeper level.

The beauty of reading stories with figurative language. Figurative language helps with making your speech, essays and even literary genres look pleasing to the person reading them. Using figurative language in daily conversations can also be beneficial. When you plan to write poems, speeches, or even stories, don’t forget to try and use figurative language to make a simple speech or essay into something better.

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Figurative Language – Definition and Examples

• 3-minute read
• 13th April 2023

In this article, you’ll learn about figurative language: what it is, how to use it, and lots of examples to inspire your everyday speech and descriptive writing .

What is Figurative Language?

Figurative language is language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. It is often used to create imagery, evoke emotion, or emphasize a point in a way that literal language cannot. Think of it as painting a picture with words in the minds of your audience – for example, “She was as light as a feather while dancing.”

5 Types of Figurative Language

Below, we’ll look at five types of figurative language – metaphor, idiom, simile, hyperbole, and personification – that you can use in an essay, poem , speech, or conversation.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things by stating that one thing is another, without using “like” or “as.” Metaphors are used to create imagery, evoke emotions, and help readers or listeners to understand an idea or concept in a new and interesting way.

Here are some examples of metaphors:

An idiom is a phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words. Idioms are often used in informal or conversational language to add color or humor.

Here are some examples of idioms:

If you want to include idioms in your everyday speech or writing, make sure you fully understand the figurative meaning before using them. If used incorrectly, they can cause confusion for your audience.

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things using “like” or “as.” They are a great writing technique to create vivid imagery and a memorable comparison.

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Here are some examples of similes:

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that involves exaggeration for emphasis or effect. It is mostly used to emphasize a point in a funny or memorable way. Hyperbole is great to use in everyday language or writing, but it’s important to use it in moderation – otherwise, it can come across as insincere or unbelievable.

Here are some examples of hyperbole:

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech in which an inanimate object or animal is given human-like qualities or characteristics. This technique is mostly used in poetry or descriptive writing to create vivid imagery.

Here are some examples of personification:

Figurative language is a great addition to your everyday speech and is frequently used in literature and poetry. It can add depth and richness to language, making it more interesting and expressive. However, it can also be confusing if the reader or listener does not understand the intended meaning of the figurative language. Therefore, it is important to have a basic understanding of figurative language in order to fully appreciate and understand written and spoken communication.

Interested in learning more about how use descriptive language and vivid imagery? Check out our Writing Tips blog to learn more.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Literary Devices — My Last Duchess: Figurative Language

My Last Duchess: Figurative Language

• Categories: Literary Devices Metaphor Poetry

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Published: Mar 16, 2024

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Figurative Language

Figurative Language Definition

What is figurative language? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Figurative language is language that contains or uses figures of speech . When people use the term "figurative language," however, they often do so in a slightly narrower way. In this narrower definition, figurative language refers to language that uses words in ways that deviate from their literal interpretation to achieve a more complex or powerful effect. This view of figurative language focuses on the use of figures of speech that play with the meaning of words, such as metaphor , simile , personification , and hyperbole .

Some additional key details about figurative language:

• Figurative language is common in all sorts of writing, as well as in spoken language.
• Figurative language refers to language that contains figures of speech, while figures of speech are the particular techniques. If figurative speech is like a dance routine, figures of speech are like the various moves that make up the routine.
• It's a common misconception that imagery, or vivid descriptive language, is a kind of figurative language. In fact, writers can use figurative language as one tool to help create imagery, but imagery does not have to use figurative language.

Figurative Language Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce figurative language: fig -yer-uh-tiv lang -gwij

Figures of Speech and Figurative Language

To fully understand figurative language, it's helpful to have a basic understanding of figures of speech. More specifically, it's helpful to understand the two main types of figures of speech: tropes and schemes .

• Tropes are figures of speech that play with and shift the expected and literal meaning of words.
• Schemes are figures of speech that involve a change from the typical mechanics of a sentence, such as the order, pattern, or arrangement of words.

Put even more simply: tropes play with the meaning of words, while schemes play with the structure of words, phrases, and sentences.

The Different Things People Mean When They Say Figurative Language

When people say figurative language, they don't always mean the precise same thing. Here are the three different ways people usually talk about figurative language:

• Dictionary definition of figurative language: According to the dictionary, figurative language is simply any language that contains or uses figures of speech. This definition would mean that figurative language includes the use of both tropes and schemes.
• Much more common real world use of figurative language: However, when people (including teachers) refer to figurative language, they usually mean language that plays with the literal meaning of words. This definition sees figurative language as language that primarily involves the use of tropes.
• Another common real world use of figurative language: Some people define figurative language as including figures of speech that play with meaning as well as a few other common schemes that affect the rhythm and sound of text, such as alliteration and assonance .

What does all that boil down to for you? If you hear someone talking about figurative language, you can usually safely assume they are referring to language that uses figures of speech to play with the meaning of words and, perhaps, with the way that language sounds or feels.

Common Types of Figurative Language

There are many, many types of figures of speech that can be involved in figurative language. Some of the most common are:

• Metaphor : A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another thing, even though this isn't literally true. For example, the phrase "her lips are a blooming rose" obviously doesn't literally mean what it says—it's a metaphor that makes a comparison between the red beauty and promise of a blooming rose with that of the lips of the woman being described.
• Simile : A simile, like a metaphor, makes a comparison between two unrelated things. However, instead of stating that one thing is another thing (as in metaphor), a simile states that one thing is like another thing. An example of a simile would be to say "they fought like cats and dogs."
• Oxymoron : An oxymoron pairs contradictory words in order to express new or complex meanings. In the phrase "parting is such sweet sorrow" from Romeo and Juliet , "sweet sorrow" is an oxymoron that captures the complex and simultaneous feelings of pain and pleasure associated with passionate love.
• Hyperbole : Hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration of the truth, used to emphasize the importance of something or to create a comic effect. An example of a hyperbole is to say that a backpack "weighs a ton." No backpack literally weighs a ton, but to say "my backpack weighs ten pounds" doesn't effectively communicate how burdensome a heavy backpack feels.
• Personification : In personification, non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent to their plans." Describing the rain as "indifferent" is an example of personification, because rain can't be "indifferent," nor can it feel any other human emotion.
• Idiom : An idiom is a phrase that, through general usage within a particular group or society, has gained a meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words. The phrase "it's raining cats and dogs" is known to most Americans to mean that it's raining hard, but an English-speaking foreigner in the United States might find the phrase totally confusing.
• Onomatopoeia : Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or describe. The “boom” of a firework exploding, the “tick tock” of a clock, and the “ding dong” of a doorbell are all examples of onomatopoeia.
• Synecdoche : In synecdoche, a part of something is used to refer to its whole . For example, "The captain commands one hundred sails" is a synecdoche that uses "sails" to refer to ships—ships being the thing of which a sail is a part.
• Metonymy : Metonymy is a figure of speech in which an object or concept is referred to not by its own name, but instead by the name of something closely associated with it. For example, in "Wall Street prefers lower taxes," the New York City street that was the original home of the New York Stock Exchange stands in for (or is a "metonym" for) the entire American financial industry.
• Alliteration : In alliteration, the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “ b ” sound in: “ B ob b rought the b ox of b ricks to the b asement.” Alliteration uses repetition to create a musical effect that helps phrases to stand out from the language around them.
• Assonance : The repetition of vowel sounds repeat in nearby words, such as the " ee " sound: "the squ ea ky wh ee l gets the gr ea se." Like alliteration, assonance uses repeated sounds to create a musical effect in which words echo one another.

Figurative Language vs. Imagery

Many people (and websites) argue that imagery is a type of figurative language. That is actually incorrect. Imagery refers to a writers use of vivid and descriptive language to appeal to the reader's senses and more deeply evoke places, things, emotions, and more. The following sentence uses imagery to give the reader a sense of how what is being described looks, feels, smells, and sounds:

The night was dark and humid, the scent of rotting vegetation hung in the air, and only the sound of mosquitoes broke the quiet of the swamp.

This sentence uses no figurative language. Every word means exactly what it says, and the sentence is still an example of the use of imagery. That said, imagery can use figurative language, often to powerful effect:

The night was dark and humid, heavy with a scent of rotting vegetation like a great-aunt's heavy and inescapable perfume, and only the whining buzz of mosquitoes broke the silence of the swamp.

In this sentence, the description has been made more powerful through the use of a simile ("like a great-aunt's..."), onomatopoeia ("whining buzz," which not only describes but actually sounds like the noise made by mosquitoes), and even a bit of alliteration in the " s ilence of the s wamp."

To sum up: imagery is not a form of figurative language. But a writer can enhance his or her effort to write imagery through the use of figurative language.

Figurative Language Examples

Figurative language is more interesting, lively, beautiful, and memorable than language that's purely literal. Figurative language is found in all sorts of writing, from poetry to prose to speeches to song lyrics, and is also a common part of spoken speech. The examples below show a variety of different types of figures of speech. You can see many more examples of each type at their own specific LitChart entries.

Figurative Language Example: Metaphor

Metaphor in shakespeare's romeo and juliet.

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet , Romeo uses the following metaphor in Act 2 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet , after sneaking into Juliet's garden and catching a glimpse of her on her balcony:

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Romeo compares Juliet to the sun not only to describe how radiantly beautiful she is, but also to convey the full extent of her power over him. He's so taken with Juliet that her appearances and disappearances affect him like those of the sun. His life "revolves" around Juliet like the earth orbits the sun.

Figurative Language Example: Simile

In this example of a simile from Slaughterhouse-Five , Billy Pilgrim emerges from an underground slaughterhouse where he has been held prisoner by the Germans during the deadly World War II firebombing of Dresden:

It wasn't safe to come out of the shelter until noon the next day. When the Americans and their guards did come out, the sky was black with smoke. The sun was an angry little pinhead. Dresden was like the moon now , nothing but minerals. The stones were hot. Everybody else in the neighborhood was dead.

Vonnegut uses simile to compare the bombed city of Dresden to the moon in order to capture the totality of the devastation—the city is so lifeless that it is like the barren moon.

Figurative Language Example: Oxymoron

These lines from Chapter 7 of Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls describe an encounter between Robert Jordan, a young American soldier fighting in the Spanish Civil War, and his lover María.

She held herself tight to him and her lips looked for his and then found them and were against them and he felt her, fresh, new and smooth and young and lovely with the warm, scalding coolness and unbelievable to be there in the robe that was as familiar as his clothes, or his shoes, or his duty and then she said, frightenedly, “And now let us do quickly what it is we do so that the other is all gone.”

The couple's relationship becomes a bright spot for both of them in the midst of war, but ultimately also a source of pain and confusion for Jordan, as he struggles to balance his obligation to fight with his desire to live happily by Maria's side. The contradiction contained within the oxymoron "scalding coolness" emphasizes the couple's conflicting emotions and impossible situation.

Figurative Language Example: Hyperbole

Elizabeth Bennet, the most free-spirited character in Pride and Prejudice , refuses Mr. Darcy's first marriage proposal with a string of hyperbole :

From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that ground-work of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immoveable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.

Elizabeth's closing statement, that Darcy is the "last man in the world" whom she would ever marry, is an obvious hyperbole. It's hard to believe that Elizabeth would rather marry, say, an axe murderer or a diseased pirate than Mr. Darcy. Even beyond the obvious exaggeration, Austen's use of hyperbole in this exchange hints at the fact that Elizabeth's feelings for Darcy are more complicated than she admits, even to herself. Austen drops various hints throughout the beginning of the novel that Elizabeth feels something beyond mere dislike for Darcy. Taken together with these hints, Elizabeth's hyperbolic statements seem designed to convince not only Darcy, but also herself, that their relationship has no future.

Figurative Language Example: Personification

In Chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter , Nathaniel Hawthorne describes a wild rose bush that grows in front of Salem's gloomy wooden jail:

But, on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rose-bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him.

In the context of the novel's setting in 17th century Boston, this rose bush, which grows wild in front of an establishment dedicated to enforcing harsh puritan values, symbolizes those elements of human nature that cannot be repressed, no matter how strict a community's moral code may be: desire, fertility, and a love of beauty. By personifying the rosebush as "offering" its blossoms to reflect Nature's pity (Nature is also personified here as having a "heart"), Hawthorne turns the passive coincidence of the rosebush's location into an image of human nature actively resisting its constraints.

Figurative Language Example: Idiom

Figurative language example: onomatopoeia.

In Act 3, Scene 3 of Shakespeare's The Tempest , Caliban uses onomatopoeia to convey the noises of the island.

Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices...

The use of onomatopoeia makes the audience feel the sounds on the island, rather than just have to take Caliban's word about there being noises.

Figurative Language Example: Synecdoche

In Act 4, Scene 3 of Shakespeare's Macbeth , an angry Macbeth kicks out a servant by saying:

Take thy face hence.

Here, "thy face" stands in for "you." Macbeth is simply telling the servant to leave, but his use of synecdoche makes the tone of his command more harsh and insulting because he uses synecdoche to treat the servant not as a person but as an object, a body part.

Figurative Language Example: Metonymy

In his song "Juicy," Notorious B.I.G. raps:

Now I'm in the limelight 'cause I rhyme tight

Here he's using "limelight" as a metonymy for fame (a "limelight" was a kind of spotlight used in old theaters, and so it came to be associated with the fame of being in the spotlight). Biggie's use of metonymy here also sets him up for a sweet rhyme.

Figurative Language Example: Alliteration

In his song "Rap God," Eminem shows his incredible lyrical dexterity by loading up the alliteration :

S o I wanna make sure, s omewhere in this chicken s cratch I S cribble and doodle enough rhymes T o maybe t ry t o help get s ome people through t ough t imes But I gotta k eep a few punchlines Just in c ase, ‘ c ause even you un s igned Rappers are hungry l ooking at me l ike it's l unchtime…

Why Do Writers Use Figurative Language?

The term figurative language refers to a whole host of different figures of speech, so it's difficult to provide a single definitive answer to why writers use figurative language. That said, writers use figurative language for a wide variety of reasons:

• Interest and beauty: Figurative language allows writes to express descriptions, ideas, and more in ways that are unique and beautiful.
• Complexity and power: Because figurative language can create meanings that go beyond the literal, it can capture complex ideas, feelings, descriptions, or truths that cause readers to see things in a new way, or more closely mirror the complex reality of the world.
• Visceral affect: Because figurative language can both impact the rhythm and sound of language, and also connect the abstract (say, love) with the concrete (say, a rose), it can help language make an almost physical impact on a reader.
• Humor: By allowing a writer to layer additional meanings over literal meanings, or even to imply intended meanings that are the opposite of the literal meaning, figurative language gives writers all sorts of options for creating humor in their writing.
• Realism: People speak and even think in terms of the sorts of comparisons that underlie so much figurative language. Rather than being flowery, figurative language allows writers to describe things in ways that match how people really think about them, and to create characters who themselves feel real.

In general, figurative language often makes writing feel at once more accessible and powerful, more colorful, surprising, and deep.

Other Helpful Figurative Language Resources

• The dictionary definition of figurative : Touches on figurative language, as well as some other meanings of the word.
• Figurative and Frost : Examples of figurative language in the context of the poetry of Robert Frost.
• Figurative YouTube : A video identifying various forms of figurative language from movies and television shows.
• Wikipedia on literal and figurative language : A bit technical, but with a good list of examples.

• Alliteration
• Figure of Speech
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Understatement
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Point of View
• Colloquialism
• Falling Action
• Epanalepsis
• Flat Character
• Climax (Plot)
• Rising Action
• Formal Verse

• Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.

Figurative Language

Figurative language definition.

Figurative language uses figures of speech to be more effective, persuasive, and impactful.

Figures of speech such as metaphors , similes, and allusions go beyond the literal meanings of the words to give readers new insights. On the other hand, alliterations, imageries, or onomatopoeias are figurative devices that appeal to the senses of the readers.

Figurative language can appear in multiple forms with the use of different literary and rhetorical devices . According to Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia, the definition of figurative language has five different forms:

• Understatement or Emphasis
• Relationship or Resemblance
• Figures of Sound
• Verbal Games

Types of Figurative Language

The term figurative language covers a wide range of literary devices and techniques, a few of which include:

Personification

• Onomatopoeia

Alliteration

• Understatement

Short Examples of Figurative Language

• His friend is as black as coal.
• He has learned gymnastics, and is as agile as a monkey.
• When attacked in his home, he will fight like a caged tiger.
• Can you dance like a monkey?
• Even when he was told everything, he was acting like a donkey.
• My Friend is a Shakespeare when in English class.
• He was a roaring lion in anger, though now he is silent.
• They seem like jackals when running in fear.
• Kisses are roses in the spring .
• This world is a sea of anonymous faces.
• The house stood half-demolished and abandoned.
• He left with his haunted and spell-bound face.
• He did not like the odorless and colorless shape of water.
• His friend was looking at spooky glissando twangs.
• Zigzag fissures in the land made him look for snakes .
• The light on the site did not let him see the sight.
• He heard the sound of the fire, like wire striking the air.
• This artificial stream is going to flow to the downtown of the town.
• Please set the kite right.
• Might of the fright seems greater than the actual fear.
• He lets the pink ball fall with a tall man.
• They have not learned how to catch the cat.
• Get a seat with a treat in our local hall.
• Calling the cow an ox is like putting the cart before the horse.
• He saw the pink kite floating past the tall trees .
• He is dying with his untrustworthy belief.
• Sharply blunt razor cannot do anything to you.
• Kindly cruel treatment made him flabbergasted.
• Please, watch with closed eyes and you will see the heaven.
• Creatively dull person cannot do anything in his life.
• The Pentagon is located in Washington in the United States.
• The Hollywood is a home of English movies.
• 10 Downing Street is located in London .
• Buckingham Palace is world’s oldest symbol of democracy.
• The White House.
• He does not know how to behave with the special people.
• He is looking at his own grey hair and his agility.
• They saw a fleet of fifty.
• At this time, he owns nine head of cattle.
• The new generation is addicted to the use of plastic money.

Examples of Figurative Language from Literature

Example #1: the base stealer (by robert francis).

Poised between going on and back, pulled Both ways taut like a tight-rope walker, Now bouncing tiptoe like a dropped ball, Or a kid skipping rope, come on, come on! … Taunts them, hovers like an ecstatic bird, He’s only flirting, crowd him, crowd him,

The similes and word choice of this poem makes it a masterpiece. The poet use similes between the lines to depict his scattered thoughts before taking action, and makes comparison as, “ like a tight-rope ,” “ like a dropped ball ,” and “ hovers like an ecstatic bird .”

Example #2: I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings (By Maya Angelou)

But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage Can seldom see through his bars of rage His wings are clipped and his feet are tied The caged bird sings with a fearful trill … And his tune is heard on the distant hill for The caged bird sings of freedom.

The entire poem is rich with metaphor as a bird in a cage represents a group of people who are oppressed and cannot get freedom. The cage represents physical barriers, fear, addiction, or society; while the song of the bird represents true self yearning for something greater in life.

Example #3: She Sweeps with Many-Colored Brooms (By Emily Dickinson)

She sweeps with many-colored Brooms And leaves the Shreds behind Oh Housewife in the Evening West Come back, and dust the Pond!

Dickinson uses personification of a housewife to describe the sunset in the very first line of this poem. She is using a sweeping housewife who does her daily work, likewise the rays of the setting sun sweep away beneath the horizon.

Example #4: The Raven (By Edgar Allen Poe)

O nce upon a midnight dreary w hile I pondered w eak and w eary ; r are and r adiant maiden; And the s ilken s ad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain … D eep into that d arkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, D oubting, d reaming d reams no mortal ever d ared to d ream before.

Poe uses alliteration by repeating the /w/ sound to emphasize the weariness of the narrator , and then /r/ and /s/ sounds in the second and third lines respectively. In the last two lines, the /d/ sound highlights the narrator’s hopelessness.

Example #5: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (By Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

Ah ! well a-day ! what evil looks Had I from old and young ! Instead of the cross , the Albatross About my neck was hung.

In these lines, the albatross symbolizes a big mistake, or a burden of sin, just like the cross on which Christ was crucified. Therefore, all people on the ship agreed to slay that bird.

Example #6: The Bluest Eyes (By Toni Morrison)

Personification, consonance, and simile.

She ran down the street, the green knee socks making her legs look like wild dandelion of stems that had somehow lost their heads. The weight of her remark stunned us.

This excerpt uses different devices that make language figurative. There is a good use of simile , “legs look like wild dandelion;” and personification, “lost their heads;” and use of consonance in “stunned us,” where the /s/ is a consonant sound.

Example #7: The Week of Diana (By Maya Angelou)

Metaphor, consonance, personification.

“The dark lantern of world sadness has cast its shadow upon the land. We stumble into our misery on leaden feet.”

in just these two lines, Maya Angelou has used a metaphor of the dark lantern, consonance of the /s/ sounds, and personification of misery.

Example #8: The Negro Speaks of River (By Langston Hughes)

Consonance, simile.

“I’ve known rivers: I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers.”

This prince of the Harlem Renaissance has beautifully used a different type of consonance with the /l/ sound and a simile of “my soul.”

Example #9: Musée des Beaux Arts (By W. H. Auden)

Personification, consonance.

That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot Where the dogs go on with their doggy W. H. Auden life and the torturer’s horse Scratches its innocent behind on a tree.

W. H. Auden has used a personification of the “dreadful martyrdom,” and consonances of “some untidy spot,” with the /s/ sound, and “dogs go on with their doggy life,” with the /d/ and /g/ sounds.

Function of Figurative Language

The primary function of figurative language is to force readers to imagine what a writer wants to express. Figurative language is not meant to convey literal meanings, and often it compares one concept with another in order to make the first concept easier to understand. However, it links the two ideas or concepts with the goal of influencing the audience to understand the link, even if it does not exist.

Poets and prose writers use this technique to bring out emotions and help their readers form images in their minds. Thus, figurative language is a useful way of conveying an idea that readers cannot understand otherwise, due to its complex and abstract nature. In addition, it helps in analyzing a literary text.

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How to Use Good Figurative Language for Essays

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Figurative Language: Definitions and Examples

This essay is about figurative language and its various forms, explaining how it enhances writing by adding depth and creativity. It covers metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, alliteration, idioms, imagery, and symbolism. Each type is defined and illustrated with examples, showing how these devices create vivid imagery and convey complex ideas more effectively than literal language. The essay emphasizes the importance of figurative language in making texts more engaging and meaningful for readers, highlighting its role in enriching both writing and reading experiences.

How it works

Figurative language is like a secret code writers use to jazz up their words, adding layers of meaning and making their writing sparkle. Unlike plain old literal language that says exactly what it means, figurative language uses comparisons, exaggerations, and fancy twists to tell stories in more creative ways. It's all about painting pictures with words, stirring up emotions, and getting readers hooked.

Take metaphors, for instance—they're sneaky comparisons that don't use "like" or "as." When someone says "Time is a thief," they're not talking about a crook in a mask but showing how time sneaks away precious moments just like a thief would swipe valuables. Need a custom essay on the same topic? Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and we’ll deliver the highest-quality essay! Order now

It's a way to say something deeper without spelling it out.

Similes are like metaphors' cousins—they compare things using "like" or "as." Imagine saying "Her smile was as bright as the sun." That's like putting a spotlight on how dazzling and warm her smile was, making it easy for us to picture.

Then there's personification, where non-human things get human traits. Like saying "The wind whispered through the trees," giving wind a voice to whisper gently, creating a peaceful mood in our minds.

Hyperbole's a fun one—it's all about blowing things up for effect. Picture someone saying "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse." They're not really eyeing up Mr. Ed, but exaggerating big time to show just how starving they feel.

Ever hear words that sound just like what they mean? That's onomatopoeia, like "buzz," "bang," or "sizzle." When you read "The bees buzzed in the garden," you can practically hear those bees zipping around, adding a buzz to the scene.

Alliteration's like a tongue twister—it's when words in a row start with the same sound, like "She sells seashells by the seashore." It's catchy and makes the words dance a bit, making them stick in your head.

Idioms are like inside jokes of language—they don't mean what they say. Like "It's raining cats and dogs" means it's pouring buckets, not furballs. They spice up the conversation and make it feel more down-to-earth.

Imagery paints pictures with words, making scenes come alive. Think "The golden sunset bathed the landscape in a warm, orange glow." It's like taking a mental snapshot of the moment, making it real in your mind.

And then there's symbolism—using symbols to stand for bigger ideas. Like a dove for peace or a red rose for love. It's like having a secret language within the words, adding deeper meanings to simple things.

So, figurative language isn't just fancy talk—it's the magic dust that turns everyday writing into something special. Writers use metaphors, similes, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, alliteration, idioms, imagery, and symbolism to make stories richer and more exciting. It's like a hidden treasure chest in literature, waiting for readers to discover its wonders.

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