List of Literary Devices, categorizing them by name and type. Check common literary devices applicable in poetry, prose, repetition, dialogue, wordplay, and parallelism. Literary devices refer to the techniques and structures employed by writers to communicate their message, create specific effects, and elevate the overall quality of their literary works. These devices contribute depth, complexity, and richness to the writing, enhancing its engagement and impact on readers. Literary devices can be identified across various forms of literature, including novels, poems, short stories, plays, and essays.
The compilation of literary devices also encompasses rhetorical devices, which are linguistic and literary techniques that writers and speakers utilize to convey meaning, evoke emotions, and persuade their audience. Rhetorical devices manipulate language, structure, and expression to augment the effectiveness of communication. They are frequently employed in literature, speeches, advertisements, and everyday conversations to craft memorable and influential messages.
Literary Devices List 2024
| Sr. No. | Name of Literary Device | Type |
| 1 | Metaphor | Common Literary Devices |
| 2 | Analogy | Common Literary Devices |
| 3 | Simile | Common Literary Devices |
| 4 | Imagery | Common Literary Devices |
| 5 | Symbolism | Common Literary Devices |
| 6 | Hyperbole | Common Literary Devices |
| 7 | Irony | Common Literary Devices |
| 8 | Congeries | Common Literary Devices |
| 9 | Epistrophe | Common Literary Devices |
| 10 | Erotesis | Common Literary Devices |
| 11 | Juxtaposition | Common Literary Devices |
| 12 | Paradox | Common Literary Devices |
| 13 | Allusion | Common Literary Devices |
| 14 | Allegory | Common Literary Devices |
| 15 | Ekphrasis | Common Literary Devices |
| 16 | Onomatopoeia | Common Literary Devices |
| 17 | Pun | Common Literary Devices |
| 18 | Anastrophe | Common Literary Devices |
| 19 | Tautology | Common Literary Devices |
| 20 | Anaphora | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 21 | Conceit | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 22 | Apostrophe | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 23 | Metonymy/Synecdoche | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 24 | Enjambment | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 25 | Zeugma | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 26 | Repetition | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 27 | Rhyme | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 28 | Alliteration | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 29 | Ambiguity | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 30 | Personification | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 31 | Denotation | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 32 | Cliche | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 33 | Connotation | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 34 | Contrast | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 35 | Consonance/Assonance | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 36 | Euphony/Cacophony | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 37 | Meter | Common Literary Devices in Poetry |
| 38 | Parallel Plot | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 39 | Foil | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 40 | Diction | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 41 | Mood | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 42 | Foreshadowing | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 43 | In Media Res | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 44 | Dramatic Irony | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 45 | Vignette | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 46 | Flashback | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 47 | Soliloquy | Common Literary Devices in Prose |
| 48 | Anadiplosis | Repetition Devices |
| 49 | Anaphora (prose) | Repetition Devices |
| 50 | Antanaclasis | Repetition Devices |
| 51 | Antimetabole | Repetition Devices |
| 52 | Antistrophe | Repetition Devices |
| 53 | Chiasmus | Repetition Devices |
| 54 | Epanalepsis | Repetition Devices |
| 55 | Epimone | Repetition Devices |
| 56 | Epizeuxis | Repetition Devices |
| 57 | Polyptoton | Repetition Devices |
| 58 | Symploce | Repetition Devices |
| 59 | Colloquialism | Dialogue Literary Devices |
| 60 | Vernacular | Dialogue Literary Devices |
| 61 | Dialect | Dialogue Literary Devices |
| 62 | Slang | Dialogue Literary Devices |
| 63 | Jargon | Dialogue Literary Devices |
| 64 | Idiom | Dialogue Literary Devices |
| 65 | Euphemism | Dialogue Literary Devices |
| 66 | Proverb | Dialogue Literary Devices |
| 67 | Neologism | Dialogue Literary Devices |
| 68 | Anthimeria | Word Play Devices |
| 69 | Double Entendre | Word Play Devices |
| 70 | Kenning | Word Play Devices |
| 71 | Malapropism | Word Play Devices |
| 72 | Metalepsis | Word Play Devices |
| 73 | Oxymoron | Word Play Devices |
| 74 | Palindrome | Word Play Devices |
| 75 | Paraprosdokian | Word Play Devices |
| 76 | Portmanteau | Word Play Devices |
| 77 | Spoonerism | Word Play Devices |
| 78 | Grammatical parallelism | Parallelism Devices |
| 79 | Rhetorical parallelism | Parallelism Devices |
| 80 | Synthetic parallelism | Parallelism Devices |
| 81 | Antithetical parallelism | Parallelism Devices |
| 82 | Synonymous parallelism | Parallelism Devices |
| 83 | Kairos | Rhetorical Devices |
| 84 | Ethos | Rhetorical Devices |
| 85 | Logos | Rhetorical Devices |
| 86 | Pathos | Rhetorical Devices |
| 87 | Anacoluthon | Rhetorical Devices |
| 88 | Antithesis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 89 | Asyndeton | Rhetorical Devices |
| 90 | Hypallage | Rhetorical Devices |
| 91 | Hyperbaton | Rhetorical Devices |
| 92 | Hypotaxis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 93 | Parataxis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 94 | Polysyndeton | Rhetorical Devices |
| 95 | Synesis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 96 | Accismus | Rhetorical Devices |
| 97 | Anecdote | Rhetorical Devices |
| 98 | Antanagoge | Rhetorical Devices |
| 99 | Aporia | Rhetorical Devices |
| 100 | Bdelygmia | Rhetorical Devices |
| 101 | Enthymeme | Rhetorical Devices |
| 102 | Hypophora | Rhetorical Devices |
| 103 | Procatalepsis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 104 | Reductio ad Absurdum | Rhetorical Devices |
| 105 | Syllogism | Rhetorical Devices |
| 106 | Adynaton | Rhetorical Devices |
| 107 | Amplification | Rhetorical Devices |
| 108 | Antiphrasis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 109 | Asterismos | Rhetorical Devices |
| 110 | Litotes | Rhetorical Devices |
| 111 | Meiosis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 112 | Metanoia | Rhetorical Devices |
| 113 | Paralipsis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 114 | Overstatement | Rhetorical Devices |
| 115 | Tmesis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 116 | Adnomination | Rhetorical Devices |
| 117 | Aposiopesis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 118 | Circumlocution | Rhetorical Devices |
| 119 | Dysphemism | Rhetorical Devices |
| 120 | Ellipsis | Rhetorical Devices |
| 121 | Isocolon | Rhetorical Devices |
| 122 | Pleonasm | Rhetorical Devices |
| 123 | Exposition | Narrative Devices |
| 124 | Frame Story | Narrative Devices |
| 125 | Point of View | Narrative Devices |
| 126 | Tone | Narrative Devices |
| 127 | Tragicomedy | Narrative Devices |
| 128 | Anthropomorphism | Narrative Devices |
| 129 | Aphorism | Narrative Devices |
| 130 | Archetype | Narrative Devices |
| 131 | Non Sequitur | Narrative Devices |
| 132 | Satire | Narrative Devices |
| 133 | Zoomorphism | Narrative Devices |
What are Literary Devices
Literary devices serve as instruments that writers employ to enrich their writing and effectively convey ideas. They transcend the fundamental aspects of language and structure, introducing layers of meaning, depth, and artistic expression to a text. These devices play a vital role in the creation of captivating and influential literary works, spanning various forms such as novels, poems, plays, and other genres of literature.
Key categories of literary devices encompass Figurative Language, Sound Devices, Structural Devices, Narrative Devices, Rhetorical Devices, and Descriptive Devices. These categories provide writers with a diverse range of creative tools to captivate readers, evoke emotions, and articulate intricate ideas. Proficiency in utilizing literary devices empowers authors to compose texts that resonate profoundly and leave a lasting impact on their audience.
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