
What is an example of a poem with synecdoche?
Examples of Synecdoche in Literature. Synecdoche is a popular tool used in writing. Many famous poets as well as William Shakespeare use it frequently. Here are some examples: 1. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Coleridge. In his famous poem, Coleridge uses synecdoche when he writes: “The western wave was all a-flame. The day was ...
What is synecdoche and examples?
Synecdoche Examples
- "Beautiful are the feet that bring the good news." The Bible
- "I should have been a pair of ragged claws Scuttling across the floors of silent seas." T.S. Eliot
- "Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears." Julius Caesar, Shakespeare
- "Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean." Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare
How to use "synecdoche" in a sentence?
synecdoche in a sentence
- To this end the poet makes ingenious use of synecdoche.
- Models in the novel act as a synecdoche of the larger culture.
- Metonymy is to synecdoche what a metaphor is to a simile ).
- This is called a synecdoche, a part referring to the whole.
- Synecdoche and metalepsis are considered specific types of metonymy.
What is the meaning of synecdoche?
Synecdoche (pronounced si-nek-duh-kee) is derived from the greek word synekdoche defined as “simultaneous meaning.” The contemporary English definition of synecdoche is: a literary device where a word for a small component of something can stand in rhetorically for the larger whole, or vice versa. What is understatement in figure of speech?

What is an example of a synecdoche?
Here are some examples of synecdoche: the word hand in "offer your hand in marriage"; mouths in "hungry mouths to feed"; and wheels referring to a car.
What are the 10 examples of synecdoche?
Examples of Different Forms of SynecdocheThe phrase "hired hands" can be used to refer to workers. ... The word "head" can refer to counting cattle or people. ... The word "bread" can be used to represent food. ... The word "wheels" refers to a vehicle. ... The word "boots" refers to soldiers.More items...
What is synecdoche poetic?
synecdoche, figure of speech in which a part represents the whole, as in the expression “hired hands” for workmen or, less commonly, the whole represents a part, as in the use of the word “society” to mean high society.
How do you find the synecdoche in a poem?
Sometimes, synecdoche shows up when the writer uses part of something to represent the whole of something. Some examples in everyday English include these: “Hired hands” to refer to workers, as workers bring more than just their hands to the job. “Wheels” in reference to a car, as a car has more than just wheels.
Which is the best example of synecdoche?
Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which, most often, a part of something is used to refer to its whole. For example, "The captain commands one hundred sails" is a synecdoche that uses "sails" to refer to ships—ships being the thing of which a sail is a part.
What is synecdoche and give two examples?
Microcosmic synecdoche uses a specific part of something to signify the whole object, as you'll see in the following examples: “All hands on deck!” — uses “hands” to signify the whole sailors. “I need a headcount by morning,” — uses “head” to represent a whole person.
Why do poets use synecdoche?
The function of synecdoche in poetry is to emphasize specific aspects of the thing or person that the synecdoche represents and to minimize the importance of the thing itself. A synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part of something represents the whole thing or vice versa.
What are the two types of synecdoche?
The 2 Types of SynecdocheMacrocosm: This is when a larger entity is used to refer to a small part within it. ... Microcosm: This use of synecdoche occurs when a small part of something stands in to refer to the larger whole.
What is the difference between a synecdoche and a metonymy?
'Synecdoche' is when the word for a part of something is used to refer to the whole thing, or less commonly, the word for a whole is used to refer to a part. 'Metonymy' is when a word associated with something is used to refer to the thing itself.
Is Has given my heart a synecdoche?
Answer: The figure of speech used is Synecdoche.
What is another word for synecdoche?
What is another word for synecdoche?figure of speechmetaphoridiomtropeconceitsimileanalogyallegoryeuphemismimagery27 more rows
Is synecdoche a simile?
Synecdoche part of the figurative language family, which includes figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, personification, etc. It's when you use a part of the whole of something to refer to the object.
Which is the best example of synecdoche Brainly?
1. Referring to a car as "wheels".
What are the 5 example of metonymy?
Metonymy Examples: A Stand-in for Other WordsMetonymyMeaningSilicon Valleyto refer to the tech industryHollywoodto refer to the film industryearsfor giving attention, listeningsilver foxfor an attractive older man11 more rows
What are the 5 examples of repetition?
Here are some familiar examples of repetition:Time after time.Heart to heart.Boys will be boys.Hand in hand.Get ready; get set; go.Hour to hour.Sorry, not sorry.Over and over.More items...
What are the 5 examples of personification?
Common Personification ExamplesLightning danced across the sky.The wind howled in the night.The car complained as the key was roughly turned in its ignition.Rita heard the last piece of pie calling her name.My alarm clock yells at me to get out of bed every morning.More items...
What is the relationship between synecdoche and metonymy?
Both synecdoche and metonymy emphasize relationships between words and ideas. They serve to establish connections for readers as a means of developing greater understanding of concepts and expression through language.
Why is synecdoche important?
When writers incorporate synecdoche into their work, it is a useful literary device for creating connections for the reader. For synecdoche to be effective, both as microcosm and macrocosm, the reader must be able to connect the significance of the smaller part to the larger whole.
Why does Shakespeare use the phrase "the whole ear of Denmark"?
Shakespeare utilizes synecdoche in his phrase “the whole ear of Denmark” to emphasize the implications of Claudius’s treachery and the impact on the kingdom. Of course, Denmark does not have a “whole ear.”. Figuratively, the former King is referring to the lie that people in the kingdom have heard about his death.
What is a synecdoche for proposing marriage?
For example, a common synecdoche for proposing marriage is to ask for a person’s “hand.”. This is a figure of speech in the sense that asking for someone’s hand is for effect, not intended literally. The “hand” in this example of synecdoche is the part that signifies the whole person receiving the marriage proposal, ...
What is the hand in synecdoche?
The “hand” in this example of synecdoche is the part that signifies the whole person receiving the marriage proposal, and reflects the symbolic placement of a wedding ring. As a literary device, synecdoche is a means for writers to avoid overusing words or phrases and creating an artistic form of expression.
What is synecdoche in writing?
Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to signify the whole, or vice-versa. In fact, it’s derived from the Greek word synekdoche: “simultaneous meaning.” As a literary device, synecdoche allows for a smaller component of something to stand in for the larger whole, in a rhetorical manner. Synecdoche can work in the opposite direction as well, in which the larger whole stands in for a smaller component of something. Synecdoche is a helpful device for writers to express a word or idea in a different way by using an aspect of that word or idea. This allows for variation of expression and produces an effect for the reader.
What is metonymy in speech?
Metonymy is also a figure of speech in which one word is used to replace another. However, in metonymy, the words are closely linked rather than one word being a smaller part of the whole word or idea that it represents. Here is an illustrative example of the difference between synecdoche and metonymy:
How does synecdoche help in poetry?
The work of poets like Dickinson and Coleridge also shows how writers use synecdoche to exchange one word or phrase for another, making it a useful device for preserving rhythm and rhyme within poetic verse . Similarly, a writer could use synecdoche to enhance the sound of writing. For example, if you wanted to open a dog spa, the alliterative and synecdochic "Pampered Paws" would be a much better name than "Pampered Dogs."
Why Do Writers Use Synecdoche?
Synecdoches can also help the writer create a strong voice for a character or for a narrator. In the example from Macbeth, for example, Shakespeare uses the synecdoche "Take thy face hence" rather than having Macbeth simply say "You can go now," because the former is far more revealing of Macbeth's haughty, violent character at this point in the play. Since synecdoche often appears in slang, idioms, and colloquialisms, writers also use synecdoche in dialogue to make characters sound more like real people.
What is synecdoche in literature?
Synecdoche appears often in everyday speech, often as a part of idioms that have become so well known that few people ever stop to think about the fact that these expressions don't mean what they literally say. Synecdoche also commonly appears in all sorts of literature, from prose to poetry.
Why use synecdoche in writing?
Similarly, a writer could use synecdoche to enhance the sound of writing. For example, if you wanted to open a dog spa, the alliterative and synecdochic "Pampered Paws" would be a much better name than "Pampered Dogs.". Perhaps most important, synecdoche allows writers to pack a lot of meaning into just a word or two.
What does "America took home gold" mean?
A category and the items in those categories: "America took home gold" is a whole-to-part synecdoche in which the larger category of "America" is used to stand in only for American olympians.
Why is synecdoche important?
Perhaps most important, synecdoche allows writers to pack a lot of meaning into just a word or two. In "I heard a fly buzz—when I died," Emily Dickson's decision to use "eyes" to represent people draws our attention to the things that their eyes are doing: weeping and watching.
What is synecdoche in speech?
What is synecdoche? Here’s a quick and simple definition: Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which, most often, a part of something is used to refer to its whole. For example, "The captain commands one hundred sails" is a synecdoche that uses "sails" to refer to ships—ships being the thing of which a sail is a part.
How many siblings does the little girl have?
In William Wordsworth’s poem “We Are Seven,” the speaker has a conversation with a little girl whose six brothers and sisters have all died, yet insists she still has six siblings. In an effort to differentiate between her and her dead siblings, the speaker exclaims “You run about, my little Maid, / Your limbs they are alive.” Wordsworth equates a part of the little girl -- her limbs -- with her whole person, who is very much alive. In this poem, Wordsworth’s use of synecdoche reveals the difficulty the close association the speaker makes between a live body and being alive. The little girl’s insistence that her siblings are alive (even though their bodies are not), suggests a different kind of aliveness the speaker does not recognize.
What does Wordsworth use to describe the little girl?
In this poem, Wordsworth’s use of synecdoche reveals the difficulty the close association the speaker makes between a live body and being alive.
What does Shelley mean by "hands"?
Here, Shelley refers to the sculptor of the statue as mere “hands.”. In doing so, Shelley reveals the relative insignificance of so-called “great works,” which are ultimately nothing more than handmade creations. In this poem, Shelley’s use of synecdoche diminishes the importance of both great works, as well as those who create them.
What does Eliot refer to in the poem?
Eliot refers here to a crab, which he reduces down to one of the crab’s most characteristic features: its claws. The speaker of the poem -- presumably Prufrock -- has such a low estimation of himself that he equates himself to but one small part of a small, insignificant creature that dwells on the bottom of the ocean.
What does Coleridge mean by "a-flame"?
Coleridge selects a wave as a part that stands in for the whole ocean. In referring to the wave as “a-flame,” the speaker reveals the time of day: sunset. However, by referring to the wave/ocean as aflame, the speaker also foreshadows the turbulent dangers he and his fellow sailors will face as soon as night comes.
What is the statue in Ozymandias?
In Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem “Ozymandias,” a character refers to a statue buried in the sand which “Tell that its sculptor well those passions read / Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, / The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.” Here, Shelley refers to the sculptor of the statue as mere “hands.” In doing so, Shelley reveals the relative insignificance of so-called “great works,” which are ultimately nothing more than handmade creations. In this poem, Shelley’s use of synecdoche diminishes the importance of both great works, as well as those who create them.
What are some examples of synecdoche?
|. Standardized Tests. By Samuel Hamilton. Synecdoche is a literary device that refers to a whole as one of its parts. For example, someone might refer to her car as her “wheels,” or a teacher might ask his class to put their eyes on him as he explains something. When poets use synecdoche, they are often ...
What is Synecdoche?
Synecdoche (pronounced sin- nek -duh-kee) is a literary term that uses a part of something to represent a whole or a whole to represent a part.
Forms of Synecdoche with Examples
Microcosmic synecdoche uses a specific part of something to signify the whole object, as you’ll see in the following examples:
19 More Examples of Synecdoche
Now that you know the different forms of synecdoche, you’ll know how to spot them in anything you read, watch, or listen to. You’ll find some familiar examples below, some of which are more obvious than others.
How Will These Synecdoche Examples Change Your Writing?
Now that you know what synecdoche is, and have experienced a whirlwind tour of 37 synecdoche examples, what stood out for you?

Synecdoche Definition
Synecdoche Examples
- Synecdoche appears often in everyday speech, often as a part of idioms that have become so well known that few people ever stop to think about the fact that these expressions don't mean what they literally say. Synecdoche also commonly appears in all sorts of literature, from prose to poetry.
Why Do Writers Use Synecdoche?
- Synecdoche is a versatile literary device, and writers use synecdoche for many reasons. Often synecdoches can elevate language, making a sentence or phrase sound more interesting or more poetic. Synecdoches can also help the writer create a strong voice for a character or for a narrator. In the example from Macbeth, for example, Shakespeare uses the synecdoche "Take th…
Other Helpful Synecdoche Resources
- The Dictionary Definition of Synecdoche: The editor's note includes information on the etymology of synecdoche (spoiler: the term comes from an ancient Greek word meaning "interpretation").
- This website gives an overview of the Four Master Tropes of rhetoric, Kenneth Burke's famous literary theory of figures of speech. Synecdoche and metonymy are two of the four devices th…
- The Dictionary Definition of Synecdoche: The editor's note includes information on the etymology of synecdoche (spoiler: the term comes from an ancient Greek word meaning "interpretation").
- This website gives an overview of the Four Master Tropes of rhetoric, Kenneth Burke's famous literary theory of figures of speech. Synecdoche and metonymy are two of the four devices that Burke ide...
- For the film buffs out there, read The Guardian's review of the 2009 film Synecdoche, New York, which uses the idea of synecdoche to explore the part-to-whole relationship between art and reality....