Figurative Language Word Search
Figurative Language, as a word search. 12 words drawn from the terms and ideas of a school subject sit hidden in a 15×15 letter grid, running in every direction. Drag across a word to claim it, and clear the board to finish.
Words to find: METAPHOR, SIMILE, PERSONIFICATION, HYPERBOLE, IDIOM, ALLITERATION, ONOMATOPOEIA, OXYMORON, SYMBOLISM, IMAGERY, IRONY, ASSONANCE.
Found words stay highlighted, so the grid gets easier to read as you go and the final few tend to fall quickly.
Figurative Language word list, defined
- METAPHOR /ˈmɛtəfər/ · noun
- A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to something with which it is not literally associated, transferring a meaning or association through comparison. Unlike a simile, a metaphor usually implies the comparison without using words such as “like” or “as.” Related: simile, figure of speech, figurative expression, comparison.
- SIMILE /ˈsɪməli/ · noun
- A simile is a comparison between two different things that uses “like” or “as” to explain a similarity or make a description more vivid. Related: comparison, analogy, parallel, figurative comparison.
- PERSONIFICATION /ˌpɜːrsənɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ · noun
- The representation of an object, place, idea, or natural phenomenon as though it possessed human qualities, emotions, or actions. It is also used for the act of attributing such human characteristics to something nonhuman. Related: anthropomorphism, embodiment, humanization, characterization.
- HYPERBOLE /haɪˈpɜːbəli/ · noun
- An obvious exaggeration used for emphasis, effect, or dramatic effect, rather than intended to be taken literally. Related: exaggeration, overstatement, amplification, embellishment.
- IDIOM /ˈɪdiəm/ · noun
- A group of words whose meaning differs from the literal meanings of the individual words, especially when used as a fixed expression. It can also mean a particular form of language characteristic of a group, region, or context. Related: expression, phrase, turn of phrase, idiomatic expression.
- ALLITERATION /əˌlɪtəˈreɪʃən/ · noun
- The repetition of the same sound, usually an initial consonant, at the beginning of closely connected words, used as a literary and rhetorical device. Related: assonance, consonance, repetition, echo.
- ONOMATOPOEIA /ˌɒnəmətəˈpiːə/ · noun
- A word or sound that imitates the thing it represents, such as “buzz,” “hiss,” or “bang.” Onomatopoeia is also used more broadly for the use of such words in language. Related: imitative word, sound word, echoic word.
- OXYMORON /ˌɒksɪˈmɔːrən/ · noun
- A figure of speech that combines two contradictory or opposing terms, such as "deafening silence." The term may also refer more broadly to an expression whose apparent meaning is self-contradictory. Related: paradox, contradiction, self-contradiction, incongruity.
- SYMBOLISM /ˈsɪmbəlɪzəm/ · noun
- The use of symbols to represent ideas, qualities, or concepts. It may also refer to the symbolic meanings and associations attached to particular objects, images, or actions. Related: symbolism, symbolic representation, symbolic meaning, allegory.
- IMAGERY /ˈɪmɪdʒəri/ · noun
- The use or representation of images and pictures, especially in writing, art, or speech. Figuratively, it refers to the expressive language and mental associations used to convey ideas or emotions. Related: images, pictures, visuals, representations.
- IRONY /ˈaɪərəni/ (British); /ˈaɪɚni/ (US) · noun
- Irony is a contrast or discrepancy between what is said or expected and what is meant or actually happens, especially when the result is the opposite of what was anticipated. It can also refer to the use of words or situations in which the intended meaning differs from the literal expression. Related: ironic incongruity, incongruity, incongruousness, coincidence.
- ASSONANCE /ˈæs.ə.nəns/ · noun
- Assonance is the repetition of similar or identical vowel sounds in nearby words, especially in stressed syllables, used as a poetic and rhetorical device. In a broader literary sense, it can refer to any resemblance of sound between words, including partial rhyme. Related: vowel harmony, sound repetition, euphony, alliteration (loosely).
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