Open any book, play any song, or watch any movie and you’re sure to find not just one but several examples of figurative language in there. But how do you spot them? And what’s figurative language to begin with? We’re going to break down the term figurative language as well as define the most popular types you’re likely to come across. We’ll also provide figurative language examples across different types of media so that you won’t just know how to spot it, but you’ll be able to use figurative language correctly and successfully in your writing.
Figurative language examples
First, let’s define figurative language
Before we can jump into all of the different examples of figurative language, let’s first define it. Figurative language is an umbrella term for the different literary devices that make up this type of communication.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE DEFINITION
What is figurative language?
Figurative language is communicating with words and phrases that go beyond their literal meaning to imply something more. Often using comparison and exaggeration, figurative language is used in creative writing to add depth, emotion, and artistry to one’s work, or to simplify and explain a complex idea.
In contrast, literal language using the words in your writing to express exactly what they mean.
Figurative language examples include:
- Similes and metaphors
- Oxymoron
- Allusion
- Personification
- Onomatopoeia
- Hyperbole
- Idioms
- Euphemism
What are some examples of figurative language
Simile
A simile is a comparison between two items that are typically unlike. Similes use the words “like” or “as” to draw similarities between the two objects.
SIMILE IN FILM
Perhaps one of the most famous uses of simile in film is the famous “life is like a box of chocolates” scene from Forrest Gump:
Example of figurative language
In the scene, Forrest uses a smile when he shares that his mother used to compare the unpredictability of life with the surprises and variety found in a box of chocolates. The key here is that both Forrest and his mother use the work “like” when highlighting the similarities between life and sweet treats.
Examples of poems using figurative language
Metaphor
Metaphor is one of the most common types of figurative language you’ll find in art. A metaphor is an implied comparison between two unlike concepts. It differs from simile in that metaphor does not use the words like or as to draw its similarity.
METAPHOR IN POETRY
Take a look at Sylvia Plath’s poem, aptly titled “Metaphors”.
“I'm a riddle in nine syllables,
An elephant, a ponderous house,
A melon strolling on two tendrils.
O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers!
This loaf's big with its yeasty rising.
Money's new-minted in this fat purse.
I'm a means, a stage, a cow in calf.
I've eaten a bag of green apples,
Boarded the train there's no getting off.”
Plath uses several metaphors to describe her body, from “an elephant” to “a stage”. Note how Plath brazenly states she is those things and doesn’t use prepositions to make the comparison like a simile does.
METAPHOR IN FILM
Metaphor is a specifically rich device for film. Learn more on how to use metaphor in film in our video below:
Figurative language examples • Subscribe on YouTube
Figurative language examples
Onomatopeia
An onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like the word it is describing. Think of words like “Crash!” “Boom!” and “Bang!” as quick examples of onomatopoeia.
ONOMATOPEIA IN LYRICS
Many songs use this type of figurative language as well. Take “The Trolley Song” from Meet Me in St. Louis:
Examples of songs with figurative language
The song is all about recreating the sounds a trolley makes, so the lyrics “clang, clang, clang went the trolley” and “ding, ding, ding went the bell” are both prime examples of onomatopoeia.
What are examples of figurative language
Personification
Personification occurs when a writer gives human characteristics and qualities to inhuman things like animals, inanimate objects, even abstract concepts. A quick example of personification is “Time ran away from me.” Time can’t physically run away like a human, rather the sentence uses personification to illustrate losing track of time.
PERSONIFICATION IN FILM
Personification is essential to Toy Story, as the entire premise of the film revolves around toys (inanimate objects) coming to life when us humans aren’t looking.
Figurative language examples
What are examples of figurative language
Hyperbole
Hyperbole deliberately exaggerates a thought or sentiment in order for emphasis and/or effect. When you say “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse,” chances are you’re not actually willing to eat one. Instead, you used hyperbole to emphasize that you’re very hungry.
HYPERBOLE IN FILM
Hyperbole can go a long way in comedy. Let’s take a look at a scene in Elf that uses this type of figurative language for laughs:
Example of figurative language
In the movie, the greasy spoon claiming to have the “world’s best cup of coffee” is hyperbole. They’re exaggerating the quality of their java. However, naive Buddy believes their claim at face value leading to his hilarious and unwarranted celebration inside the restaurant.
Examples of figurative language in literature
Idiom
An idiom is a phrase whose implied meaning isn’t directly tied to its literal meaning. It tends to be a culturally specific way to express certain notions or ideas. For instance, in English, we often refer to an easy task as “a piece of cake”.
IDIOM IN LITERATURE
We can thank one person for many of the idioms English-speakers use today: William Shakespeare. The Bard coined several phrases that have become idioms in our modern vernacular. One of his most famous ones is found in Act 3, Scene 3 of Othello, when villainious Iago speaks to the titular tragic hero of the play:
O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;
It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss
Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;
But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er
Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!
Shakespeare’s “green-eyed monster” has become a popular idiom for expressing jealousy in English. This is figurative language at its finest, as the phrase “green-eyed monster” has a meaning beyond its literal one, and a non-native speaker would likely need an explanation to understand what someone is talking about if they reference it.
What are some examples of figurative language
Euphemism
A euphemism is a word or turn of phrase that is often used to soften or more gently discuss a harsh subject. These are often used when someone is uncomfortable talking about a topic or is trying to be polite. A common euphemism is to say a couple “did the deed ” instead of saying they had sex.
EUPHEMISM IN TELEVISION
Given that euphemisms deal with politeness and indirectness, they’re great to use for comedic effect. Just take a look at how euphemism is used in this laugh-inducing scene of Gilmore Girls:
Figurative language examples
The two younger characters in the scene, Lorelai and Sookie, use the euphemism of a “long vacation” in an attempt to be delicate about asking Fran what happens to the Inn they want to purchase after she dies. However, given that euphemism is figurative and not literal language, hilarity ensues when Fran fails to catch on what they really mean.
Examples of figurative language
Allusion
When you use allusion in your writing, you reference another, typically widely known literary work, historical event, figure or idea. If you describe a character as a “real-life Romeo”, you are alluding to one of Shakespeare’s most well-known works.
ALLUSION IN FILM
With an actor like Robin Williams providing the voice of Genie, the animated Aladdin is full of funny and slick allusions to pop culture, past works, and even Disney’s own oeuvre. Take this scene where Williams’ Genie alludes to the death of Julius Caeser (a historical event) and Disney’s The Little Mermaid (a widely known work) in the span of a few seconds:
Figurative language examples
Genie summoning the toga and laurels, plus quoting “Et tu, Brute?” alludes to Caesar, while the crab who looks a lot like Sebastian alludes to The Little Mermaid.
Examples of figurative language
Oxymoron
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two contradictory words to create a new, often paradoxical meaning. Popular oxymorons include “jumbo shrimp”, “open secret” or “sweet sorrow”. They’re used to create arresting images, capture complex feelings, and elicit humor.
OXYMORON IN LYRICS
Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sounds of Silence” is an example of a song that uses oxymoron. Throughout the haunting, melancholic piece, the duo uses the oxymoron of silence having a sound, when silence is defined as the absence of sound.
Examples of songs with figurative language
The use of the oxymoron allows Simon & Garfunkel to capture the feeling of loneliness they seek to express in the song.
Up Next
What is Figurative Language?
Now that we have plenty of examples of what figurative language is, it’s time to zoom out on the term as a whole. Figurative language is one of the most important literary devices a writer has in their toolbox. Therefore, having a strong grasp of figurative language is necessary for recognizing it in other’s works, and being able to effectively use it ourselves. Check out our next post for a deep dive into figurative language, what is, what it isn’t, and how to best use it in your own writing.
