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Literary terms and vocabulary list

This list is for students studying literature or writers building narrative craft, covering the core terms used to discuss fiction, poetry, and figurative language. Use it while reading novels or plays to name the techniques an author is using, or while planning your own creative writing.

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Literary terms and vocabulary list

30 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
metaphornounA figure of speech that describes something by referring to it as if it were something else, to suggest a resemblance.Time is money is a common metaphor that compares time to a valuable resource.
similenounA figure of speech that compares two different things using the word like or as.The phrase brave as a lion is a well-known simile comparing courage to a lion's.
alliterationnounThe repetition of the same initial consonant sound across nearby words in a phrase.The tongue twister 'she sells seashells' is a well-known example of alliteration.
personificationnounA figure of speech in which human qualities or actions are given to an object, animal, or abstract idea.The line 'the wind whispered through the trees' is a classic example of personification.
foreshadowingnounA literary technique in which an author hints at events that will happen later in a story.The storm in the opening chapter is foreshadowing of the conflict to come.
ironynounA situation or expression in which the intended or actual meaning is the opposite of what is said or expected.It was pure irony that the fire station burned down during a fire safety inspection.
symbolismnounThe use of symbols or images to represent ideas, qualities, or feelings beyond their literal meaning.The novel is full of religious symbolism, especially in its final chapter.
imagerynounDescriptive language that creates vivid mental pictures or appeals to the senses, especially in literature.The poem's imagery of crashing waves made readers feel the storm firsthand.
protagonistnounThe main character in a story, novel, play, or film, around whom the plot centers.The protagonist must decide whether to trust the stranger who saved her life.
antagonistnounA person who actively opposes or is hostile toward someone, especially the main character in a story.The film's antagonist is a ruthless businessman determined to destroy the hero's family farm.
themenounA central idea or message that a piece of writing, art, or discussion explores.Loneliness is a recurring theme throughout the author's early novels.
motifnounA recurring idea, image, or theme that appears throughout a work of art, literature, or music.The recurring motif of light and shadow runs through the entire novel.
tonenounThe general character, quality, or attitude conveyed by something, especially the sound of a voice or a piece of writing.Her tone of voice made it clear she was joking, not being serious.
moodnounA temporary state of mind or feeling that affects how a person thinks or acts.Her mood brightened as soon as she saw the surprise waiting on the kitchen table.
plotnounThe main sequence of events in a story, or a secret plan made by a group to achieve something, often harmful.The novel's plot follows a detective racing to solve a murder before the killer strikes again.
settingnounThe time, place, and surrounding circumstances in which an event occurs or a story takes place.The novel's setting shifts from a bustling city to a quiet island in the second half.
climaxnounThe most intense, exciting, or important point in a story, event, or series of events.The film's climax arrives when the two rivals finally confront each other.
conflictnounA serious disagreement or clash, whether between people, groups, ideas, or interests.The border conflict between the two nations lasted for over a decade.
narratornounA person who tells or reads aloud the story or events in a book, film, or performance.The narrator's calm voice guided listeners through the documentary's tragic history.
allegorynounA story, poem, or image in which characters and events represent a deeper moral or political meaning.Animal Farm is often read as an allegory for the Russian Revolution.
flashbacknounA scene or memory that interrupts the present narrative to show an earlier event.The film used a sudden flashback to reveal why the detective distrusted his partner.
hyperbolenounExaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or effect.Saying he waited a million years for the bus was clearly hyperbole.
onomatopoeianounThe formation of a word from a sound associated with what it names, such as buzz or hiss.Comic books often use onomatopoeia like 'bam' and 'pow' to show sound effects visually.
allusionnounAn indirect reference to a person, event, or work, without explicitly naming it.The poem makes a subtle allusion to the myth of Icarus flying too close to the sun.
characterizationnounThe way a writer creates and develops a character's personality, traits, and motivations in a story.Critics praised the novel's rich characterization, especially the flawed but sympathetic narrator.
dialoguenounA conversation between two or more people, especially as featured in a book, play, or film, or a formal exchange of ideas.The novel's dialogue felt so natural it seemed like real conversation.
stanzanounA group of lines forming a unit within a poem, set off from other such units, similar to a paragraph in prose.The poem's final stanza repeats the opening line to give the piece a circular structure.
meternounThe base unit of length in the metric system, equal to about 3.28 feet.The community pool is exactly twenty-five meters long from end to end.
rhymenounA similarity of sound between the endings of words or lines, especially in poetry or song.The children's poem uses rhyme to make the lines easy to remember.
soliloquynounA speech in a play in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud while alone on stage.Hamlet's famous soliloquy begins with the line 'To be, or not to be.'

Reading these terms in a story

These terms describe the building blocks writers use to shape a story or poem. A theme is the underlying idea a work explores, while a motif is a repeated image or idea that supports it. Foreshadowing hints at events to come, and irony creates a gap between what characters expect and what actually happens. Learning these words gives readers a shared vocabulary for discussing how a piece of writing achieves its effects, whether in a classroom discussion or a written analysis.

Frequently asked questions

Why learn literary terms and figurative language vocabulary?

These words give readers and writers precise language for discussing how a text creates meaning, tone, and emotional effect.

Do these terms apply to Shakespeare and other classic literature?

Yes, terms like soliloquy, irony, and allusion are especially useful for discussing plays and poetry from any era, including Shakespeare.