Hyperbole Definition and Examples

A hyperbole is a  figure of speech  in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect; its an extravagant statement. In adjective form, the term is  hyperbolic. The concept is also called  overstatement. Key Takeaways: Hyperbole When you exaggerate something, youre using hyperbole.Hyperbole is everywhere, from a conversation about a good meal you ate, to comedy acts, to literature.A simile or metaphor might compare things, but they dont have to be exaggerations. In the first century, Roman rhetorician Quintilian observed, all people are by nature inclined to magnify or to minimize things and nobody is content to stick to what is really the case (translated by Claudia Claridge in Hyperbole in English, 2011). Examples of Hyperbole Hyperbole, or over-exaggeration, is rife in common, everyday informal speech, from saying things like your book bag weighs a ton, that you were so mad you could have killed someone, or that you could have eaten an entire vat of that delicious dessert. Mark Twain was a master at it. From  Old Times on the Mississippi, he describes, I was helpless. I did not know what in the world to do. I was quaking from head to foot and could have hung my hat on my eyes, they stuck out so far. Humor writer Dave Barry certainly uses it with flair: My wife believes that men tend to have insanely high physical standards regarding the kind of woman theyre willing to settle for. She notes that a middle-aged man can have tarantula-grade nose hair, b.o. that can cause migrating geese to change course, and enough spare tissue to form a whole new middle-aged man, but this man can still believe he is physically qualified to date Scarlett Johansson. (Ill Mature When Im Dead. Berkley, 2010) Its everywhere in comedy, from stand-up routines to sitcoms, used to tickle the audiences funny bone by putting a surprising image into peoples imagination. Take the genre of Your mama jokes, such as, Your mamas hair is so short she could stand on her head and her hair wouldnt touch the ground or Your father is so low he has to look up to tie his shoes, quoted in author  Onwuchekwa Jemies book Yo Mama! New Raps, Toasts, Dozens, Jokes, and Childrens Rhymes From Urban Black America (Temple Univ. Press, 2003). Hyperbole is all over the place in advertising. Just think of a negative attack ad in a political campaign that sounds as if the world will cease to exist should so-and-so take office. Hyperbole in ads can be visual, like in images of former wide receiver Isaiah Mustafa for Old Spice or cheeky commercial clips for Snickers. No, wearing Old Spice deodorant will not make you as manly as an NFL or Olympic athlete, and being hungry does not transform Boogie into Elton John, unable to rap (cured by eating a Snickers bar). Viewers know these claims are exaggerations, but theyre effective in making for memorable advertising. Hyperbole: How to Use It Well You wouldnt use hyperbole in formal writing, such as a business memo, a letter to a business, a scientific report, an essay, or an article for publication. It could have its place in fiction or other types of creative writing when used for effect. A little goes a long way when making use of tools like hyperbole. Also, limiting its use makes each hyperbolic description in the piece more effective.   The trick to effective  hyperbole  is to give an original twist to obviously a fanciful overstatement,  author William Saffire advises. Id walk a million miles for one of your smiles would no longer impress Mammy, but Raymond Chandlers She was blonde enough to make a bishop kick a hole through a stained-glass window still has that crisp crunch of freshness.  (How Not to Write: The Essential Misrules of Grammar. W.W. Norton, 1990.) When composing hyperbolic statements, stay away from cliches, as those are just tired and overused—the opposite of fresh language. The description you create needs to bring forth surprise or delight in your audience at the image portrayed by the comparison or description. Dont be afraid to revise a sentence or passage numerous times before you hit on the hyperbolic statement or description youre going to use in the final version. Humor writing is complex, and it takes time to put just the right words together for the maximum effect.   Hyperboles vs. Other Types of Figurative Language Hyperboles are exaggerations of reality, over-the-top depictions that arent meant to be taken literally. Metaphors and similes are also descriptions using figurative language, but theyre not necessarily exaggerations. Simile: The lake is like glass.Metaphor: The lake is pure peace.Hyperbole: The lake was so still and clear that you could see through it down to the center of the Earth.