What Are Figurative Language Devices?
Words that don't mean exactly what they say — and that's what makes them so powerful.
Literal vs. Figurative
When someone says "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse," they don't actually plan to eat a horse. They're using figurative language — words or phrases that mean something different from their literal (word-for-word) meaning. Figurative language makes writing more vivid, more emotional, and more interesting. It helps readers see, feel, and experience what the writer is describing. Authors, poets, songwriters, and everyday speakers use it constantly.
Simile — Comparing with "Like" or "As"
A simile compares two different things using the words "like" or "as." It helps the reader picture something unfamiliar by connecting it to something they already know. "Her smile was as bright as the sun" doesn't mean her smile literally produced sunlight — it means her smile was warm, radiant, and impossible to miss. "The gym floor was like a sheet of ice" tells you instantly that the floor was dangerously slippery.
Metaphor — Saying Something IS Something Else
A metaphor is like a simile's bolder cousin. Instead of saying something is like something else, a metaphor says it is that thing. "Time is money" doesn't mean you can deposit hours at a bank — it means time is valuable and shouldn't be wasted. "The classroom was a zoo" doesn't mean there were actual animals — it means the classroom was chaotic and noisy. Metaphors hit harder than similes because they skip the comparison and make a direct claim.
Personification — Giving Human Qualities to Non-Human Things
Personification treats objects, animals, or ideas as if they were people. "The wind whispered through the trees" gives the wind a human ability — whispering. "The alarm clock screamed at 6 AM" makes the clock sound annoyed and aggressive, which captures exactly how it feels to be woken up early. Personification makes descriptions feel alive and helps readers connect emotionally with non-human things.
Hyperbole — Extreme Exaggeration
Hyperbole (pronounced hy-PER-buh-lee) is intentional, over-the-top exaggeration used for emphasis or humor. "I've told you a million times" obviously isn't true — it means "I've told you many times and I'm getting frustrated." "My backpack weighs a ton" means it's really heavy, not that it literally weighs 2,000 pounds. Hyperbole adds drama and emotion to writing, and kids use it naturally in everyday speech all the time.
Onomatopoeia — Words That Sound Like What They Mean
Onomatopoeia (on-uh-MAT-uh-PEE-uh) is when a word imitates the sound it describes. "Buzz," "hiss," "crash," "sizzle," "pop," "whoosh" — these words don't just name a sound, they sound like the sound. Comic books are full of onomatopoeia: "POW!", "WHAM!", "SPLAT!" Writers use these words to make scenes feel more immersive, almost like the reader can hear what's happening.
More Devices to Know
Alliteration repeats the same starting sound in nearby words: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." It creates rhythm and makes phrases memorable. Idioms are common expressions whose meaning can't be figured out from the individual words: "break a leg" means "good luck," and "it's raining cats and dogs" means it's raining very hard. Allusion is a brief reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work — saying someone has "a Midas touch" references the Greek myth of King Midas, meaning everything they do turns to gold (success).
You probably use figurative language dozens of times a day without realizing it. Researchers have found that people use about six metaphors per minute in ordinary conversation. Phrases like "I see what you mean," "that idea is half-baked," and "she's on fire today" are all figurative — none of them are literally true, but everyone understands exactly what they mean.
Last reviewed: April 2026