What is Hyperbole?
Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses exaggeration for emphasis or effect. It is best described as exaggerated statements or claims not intended to be taken seriously. If used correctly, hyperbole creates humor, makes a point, or emphasizes an emotion. Think of Agnes from the Despicable Me franchise.
How to pronounce Hyperbole?
When do writers use Hyperbole?
Writers like to use hyperbole when they want to create drama or interest by using over- exaggerations. The intent is not for the statement to be taken literally but for the exaggeration to elicit a reaction from the reader.
How to use Hyperbole?
- Use hyperbole when you want to draw attention to something in a dramatic or amusing way..
- Be creative. Think about the thing you want to exaggerate and describe it in an over-the-top way.
- Use hyperbole to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind.
- Use hyperbole to add humor to a situation.
- Use hyperbole to make a point more memorable.
- Hyperbole can also be used when the writer wants to create a sense of urgency.
How to use Hyperbole in Different Situations?
- As an OverExaggeration: This is the most common usage of hyperbole in writing. It commonly emphasizes a point by exaggerating the truth. For example, “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!”
- As un Understatement: Usage as an understatement occurs frequently, but rarely elicits the same response from the reader as an overly dramatic exclamation. In this form, writers use hyperbole to downplay a situation or make it seem less important than it actually is. For example, “It’s just a little rain.”
Examples of Hyperbole in Literature 📚
- ”I know what I dreamed: / our friend the poet comes into my room / where I’ve been writing for days, / drafts, carbons, poems are scattered everywhere, / and I want to show her one poem / which is the poem of my life.” – Adrienne Rich, ”Twenty-One Love Poems II”
- MacBeth, Shakespeare
“Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No.”
- “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
Children Books Featuring Hyperbole 🧸
- My Mouth is a VolcanoI, Julia Cook
- Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst
- A Million Fish … More or Less, Patricia Mckissack
Examples of Hyperbole in Songs 🎧
- “Hallelujah, it’s raining men!” The Weather Girls, “It’s Raining Men”
- “Sun-kissed skin so hot / We’ll melt your popsicle,” “California Gurls,” Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dog
- “I die a hundred times,” Amy Winehouse, “Back to Black”
Examples of Hyperbole in Poetry ✍🏽
“Television,” Ronald Dahl
“His brain becomes as soft as cheese!
His powers of thinking rust and freeze!
He cannot think — He only sees!”
“As I Walked Out One Evening,” W.H. Auden
I’ll love you, dear, I’ll love you
Till China and Africa meet,
And the river jumps over the mountain
And the salmon sing in the street.”
Hyperbole in Film and Pop Culture 🎥
- “It’s so Fluffy,” Despicable Me (2010)
- Buddy in Elf (2003), “You did it! Congratulations! World’ best cup of coffee! Great job everybody!”
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail – “you empty-headed animal food trough wiper! I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!”
Examples of Hyperbole in Advertising 📺
- The slogan, “The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup,” while catchy is an over exaggeration because most will agree Folgers is not good coffee.
- Budweiser’s slogan referring to the beer as, “The king of beers.”r
- The classic Ben & Jerry slogan depicting their brand as, “The world’s most delicious ice cream”
Hyperbole FAQs
- What is the difference between hyperbole and simile?
- Simile uses the words “like” or “as” to compare an object, concept, or person to something else. Hyperbole is the deliberate use of exaggeration to describe something, as in the sentence. For example:“This suitcase weighs a ton. But be careful: While hyperbole can be written as a simile, not all similes are examples of hyperbole.”
- Simile uses the words “like” or “as” to compare an object, concept, or person to something else. Hyperbole is the deliberate use of exaggeration to describe something, as in the sentence. For example:“This suitcase weighs a ton. But be careful: While hyperbole can be written as a simile, not all similes are examples of hyperbole.”
- What are some common examples of Hyperbole?
- Common examples of hyperbole include phrases such as “I’m so tired I could sleep for a year,” “I’m so angry I could scream,” “I’m so excited I could jump out of my skin,” and “I’m so cold I could freeze to death.”
- Common examples of hyperbole include phrases such as “I’m so tired I could sleep for a year,” “I’m so angry I could scream,” “I’m so excited I could jump out of my skin,” and “I’m so cold I could freeze to death.”
- How can Hyperbole be used in writing?
- Hyperbole is used in writing to add humor, emphasize a point, or express emotion. It often creates vivid and humorous imagery used to for effect to make a statement more powerful.
Related Literary Terms
Simile – Hyperbole is commonly found in similes. The writer uses a simile to emphasize to draw an over-stated comparison. Example: “If I ate all that cream, I’d be as big as a whale.”
Idiom – Example: “Our new car cost an arm and a leg.” While is a definite exaggeration, it doesn’t really check the box for hyperbole. Idioms are colloquial phrases found in everyday language, but represent a distinct type of figurative language in their own right. As you can see from the example, idioms are easily confused with other literary devices and tools.
FAQ 🤔
What is hyperbole in literature?
Hyperbole is a figure of speech that involves exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. It is used for emphasis or as a way to convey strong feelings, create humor, or make a point more dramatically.
How does hyperbole enhance a text?
Hyperbole enhances a text by intensifying emotions, creating vivid imagery, or adding humor. By exaggerating aspects of a story or a character’s feelings, writers can make their descriptions more compelling and memorable, helping readers to better grasp the intensity or significance of a situation.
Can hyperbole be found in both poetry and prose?
Why do writers use hyperbole?
Writers use hyperbole to emphasize a point, create a strong impression, evoke emotions, or inject humor into their writing. It allows them to express feelings and ideas in a more impactful way, capturing the reader’s attention and making the text more engaging.
How can I identify hyperbole in a text?
To identify hyperbole, look for statements that are obviously exaggerated and not meant to be taken literally. These can include descriptions of actions, emotions, or characteristics that seem too extreme to be true, used to make a point or evoke a particular response from the reader.