130+ Literary Devices List – Check Tools For Better Writing, Communicate Ideas

Literary Devices list with name, type, check common literary devices useful in poetry, prose, repition, dialogue, word play and parallelism. Literary devices are techniques and structures used by writers to convey their message, create specific effects, and enhance the overall quality of their literary works. These devices add depth, complexity, and richness to the writing, making it more engaging and impactful for readers. Literary devices can be found in various forms of literature, including novels, poems, short stories, plays, and essays.

The literary devices list also includes rhetorical devices which are linguistic and literary techniques that writers and speakers use to convey meaning, evoke emotions, and persuade their audience. The rhetorical devices play with language, structure, expression to enhance the effectiveness of communication and are commonly used in literature, speeches, advertisements, and everyday conversation to create memorable and impactful messages.

Also Read: Rhetorical Strategies List

Literary Devices List

Name of Literary Device	Type
Metaphor	Common Literary Devices
Analogy	Common Literary Devices
Simile	Common Literary Devices
Imagery	Common Literary Devices
Symbolism	Common Literary Devices
Hyperbole	Common Literary Devices
Irony	Common Literary Devices
Congeries	Common Literary Devices
Epistrophe	Common Literary Devices
Erotesis	Common Literary Devices
Juxtaposition	Common Literary Devices
Paradox	Common Literary Devices
Allusion	Common Literary Devices
Allegory	Common Literary Devices
Ekphrasis	Common Literary Devices
Onomatopoeia	Common Literary Devices
Pun	Common Literary Devices
Anastrophe	Common Literary Devices
Tautology	Common Literary Devices
Anaphora	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Conceit	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Apostrophe	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Metonymy/Synecdoche	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Enjambment	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Zeugma	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Repetition	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Rhyme	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Alliteration	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Ambiguity	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Personification	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Denotation	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Cliche	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Connotation	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Contrast	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Consonance/Assonance	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Euphony/Cacophony	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Meter	Common Literary Devices in Poetry
Parallel Plot	Common Literary Devices in Prose
Foil	Common Literary Devices in Prose
Diction	Common Literary Devices in Prose
Mood	Common Literary Devices in Prose
Foreshadowing	Common Literary Devices in Prose
In Media Res	Common Literary Devices in Prose
Dramatic Irony	Common Literary Devices in Prose
Vignette	Common Literary Devices in Prose
Flashback	Common Literary Devices in Prose
Soliloquy	Common Literary Devices in Prose
Anadiplosis	Repetition Devices
Anaphora (prose)	Repetition Devices
Antanaclasis	Repetition Devices
Antimetabole	Repetition Devices
Antistrophe	Repetition Devices
Chiasmus	Repetition Devices
Epanalepsis	Repetition Devices
Epimone	Repetition Devices
Epizeuxis	Repetition Devices
Polyptoton	Repetition Devices
Symploce	Repetition Devices
Colloquialism	Dialogue Literary Devices
Vernacular	Dialogue Literary Devices
Dialect	Dialogue Literary Devices
Slang	Dialogue Literary Devices
Jargon	Dialogue Literary Devices
Idiom	Dialogue Literary Devices
Euphemism	Dialogue Literary Devices
Proverb	Dialogue Literary Devices
Neologism	Dialogue Literary Devices
Anthimeria	Word Play Devices
Double Entendre	Word Play Devices
Kenning	Word Play Devices
Malapropism	Word Play Devices
Metalepsis	Word Play Devices
Oxymoron	Word Play Devices
Palindrome	Word Play Devices
Paraprosdokian	Word Play Devices
Portmanteau	Word Play Devices
Spoonerism	Word Play Devices
Grammatical parallelism	Parallelism Devices
Rhetorical parallelism	Parallelism Devices
Synthetic parallelism	Parallelism Devices
Antithetical parallelism	Parallelism Devices
Synonymous parallelism	Parallelism Devices
Kairos	Rhetorical Devices
Ethos	Rhetorical Devices
Logos	Rhetorical Devices
Pathos	Rhetorical Devices
Anacoluthon	Rhetorical Devices
Antithesis	Rhetorical Devices
Asyndeton	Rhetorical Devices
Hypallage	Rhetorical Devices
Hyperbaton	Rhetorical Devices
Hypotaxis	Rhetorical Devices
Parataxis	Rhetorical Devices
Polysyndeton	Rhetorical Devices
Synesis	Rhetorical Devices
Accismus	Rhetorical Devices
Anecdote	Rhetorical Devices
Antanagoge	Rhetorical Devices
Aporia	Rhetorical Devices
Bdelygmia	Rhetorical Devices
Enthymeme	Rhetorical Devices
Hypophora	Rhetorical Devices
Procatalepsis	Rhetorical Devices
Reductio ad Absurdum	Rhetorical Devices
Syllogism	Rhetorical Devices
Adynaton	Rhetorical Devices
Amplification	Rhetorical Devices
Antiphrasis	Rhetorical Devices
Asterismos	Rhetorical Devices
Litotes	Rhetorical Devices
Meiosis	Rhetorical Devices
Metanoia	Rhetorical Devices
Paralipsis	Rhetorical Devices
Overstatement	Rhetorical Devices
Tmesis	Rhetorical Devices
Adnomination	Rhetorical Devices
Aposiopesis	Rhetorical Devices
Circumlocution	Rhetorical Devices
Dysphemism	Rhetorical Devices
Ellipsis	Rhetorical Devices
Isocolon	Rhetorical Devices
Pleonasm	Rhetorical Devices
Exposition	Narrative Devices
Frame Story	Narrative Devices
Point of View	Narrative Devices
Tone	Narrative Devices
Tragicomedy	Narrative Devices
Anthropomorphism	Narrative Devices
Aphorism	Narrative Devices
Archetype	Narrative Devices
Non Sequitur	Narrative Devices
Satire	Narrative Devices
Zoomorphism	Narrative Devices

What are Literary Devices

Literary devices are tools that writers use to enhance their writing and communicate ideas effectively. They go beyond the basic use of language and structure, adding layers of meaning, depth, and artistic flair to a text. These devices are crucial in creating engaging and impactful literary works, whether they’re novels, poems, plays, or other forms of literature.

Some key categories of literary devices includes Figurative Language, Sound Devices, Structural Devices, Narrative Devices, Rhetorical Devices and Descriptive Devices. These devices offer writers a wide array of creative tools to engage readers, evoke emotions, and convey complex ideas. Mastering the use of literary devices allows authors to craft texts that resonate deeply and leave a lasting impact on their audience.