Rhetorical Strategies

noun a formal written defense of one's opinions or conduct

• The defendant's lawyer presented a compelling apologia for his client's actions.
• She gave a heartfelt apologia for missing the meeting.
• He tried to come up with some lame apologia for not doing his homework.
• Her art piece was seen as an apologia for the struggles of marginalized communities.

noun inflated or extravagant language, especially on unimportant subjects

• The politician's bombast during the speech failed to impress the audience.
• Stop with all the bombast, just tell us what you really think.
• His bombastic rant was way over the top.
• His bombast was like a balloon filled with hot air, ready to burst at any moment.

noun a favorable and especially unduly high opinion of one's own abilities or worth

• His conceit was evident in the way he spoke about his accomplishments.
• She's full of conceit, always bragging about herself.
• Don't be so conceited, no one likes a show-off.
• The conceit of the novel lies in its unreliable narrator.

noun a combination of statements, ideas, or features that are opposed to one another

• The scientist discovered a contradiction in the data that needed further investigation.
• I don't understand, there seems to be a contradiction in what you're saying.
• It's a total contradiction, bro. I can't believe it.
• Her actions were a contradiction to her words, showing her true intentions.

adjective expressing feelings or opinions in a way that is loud and forceful

• The speaker's declamatory tone captured the attention of the audience.
• He always gets so declamatory when he's passionate about a topic.
• She went full declamatory on us during the argument.
• The artist's painting had a declamatory quality, with bold strokes and vibrant colors.

noun a descriptive or identifying phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned

verb N/A

adjective N/A

adverb N/A

pronoun N/A

preposition N/A

conjunction N/A

interjection N/A

article N/A

• The poet used an epithet to describe the ancient warrior in his sonnet.
• She called him a mean epithet during their argument.
• I can't believe he used that epithet to insult her.
• The nickname 'The Great One' is an epithet for the legendary hockey player.

verb to compare or liken one thing to another, to see a resemblance between two things

• Many critics likened the author's writing style to that of a modern-day Shakespeare.
• I would liken her cooking skills to that of a professional chef.
• I'd liken his dance moves to a funky chicken trying to fly.
• She likened his heart to a stone, cold and unfeeling.

noun a particular way in which a piece of literature is written

adjective relating to the style or manner in which a piece of literature is written

• The author's literary style is characterized by intricate sentence structures and rich symbolism.
• I really dig the way this writer's literary style flows, it's so easy to get lost in the story.
• Yo, have you checked out that new book? The author's literary style is straight fire.
• Her literary style is like a beautiful tapestry, weaving together different elements to create a vivid picture for the reader.

noun a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction

• The term 'jumbo shrimp' is often considered an oxymoron in linguistics.
• My sister said she's going on a 'working vacation' which sounds like an oxymoron to me.
• I think 'act natural' is kind of an oxymoron, don't you?
• The phrase 'bittersweet ending' is an oxymoron that perfectly captures the complexity of the situation.

noun a poem in which the poet retracts a statement made in a former poem

• The poet wrote a palinode to retract his previous statement in the poem.
• He had to write a palinode to correct the mistake he made in his writing.
• She had to drop a palinode to fix the error in her post.
• Sometimes we need to perform a palinode in our lives to admit our faults and make amends.

adverb for what reason or purpose

conjunction for which reason or purpose

• The defendant's actions were carefully examined, and the judge questioned wherefore he had acted in such a manner.
• I don't understand wherefore you're so upset about it.
• I have no idea wherefore he's been avoiding me lately.
• The poet pondered wherefore the stars shone so brightly in the night sky.

noun the capacity for inventive thought and quick understanding; keen intelligence

verb to be aware of; to know

• She demonstrated her sharp wit during the debate, impressing the audience with her quick thinking.
• John always has a witty remark ready in any situation, he's known for his sense of humor.
• That comedian has some serious wit, his jokes always have me in stitches.
• The writer's wit shone through in her clever use of wordplay and double entendres.

adverb relating to or characteristic of gnomes; in a manner resembling or characteristic of gnomes

• The professor explained the concept of genetics gnomically during the lecture.
• I tried to summarize the article gnomically for my friend, but it was still confusing.
• She always speaks in such a gnomically way that it's hard to understand her sometimes.
• The artist's painting was gnomically beautiful, with intricate details and hidden meanings.

noun an earnest request or petition

• The judge's adjuration to the jury emphasized the importance of their duty to deliver a fair verdict.
• She gave an adjuration to her children to always be honest and kind.
• I heard his adjuration to stop being so uptight and just have fun for once.
• The artist's adjuration to the audience was to look beyond the surface of the painting and discover its deeper meaning.