Hyperbole
Literary term · say it hy-PUR-buh-lee
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally. It makes a feeling, quality, or situation seem much greater than it really is, often for emphasis or humour.
Two ways hyperbole works
Emotional exaggeration
An impossible claim shows how powerful a feeling seems to the person experiencing it.
After murdering Duncan in Macbeth, Macbeth imagines that the blood on his hands could turn an entire ocean red. The impossible scale makes his guilt feel overwhelming.
In Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Comic exaggeration
An exaggerated description makes a person or situation seem ridiculous, often while revealing something true.
At the beginning of A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is described as so cold that no weather can warm or chill him. This exaggerated coldness makes his lack of kindness both striking and absurd.
In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
How to spot hyperbole
- Look for claims that seem impossible or far beyond ordinary experience.
- Check whether the exaggeration invites disbelief rather than literal belief.
- Ask what feeling, quality, or joke the exaggeration brings into focus.
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What is the difference between hyperbole and a lie?
Hyperbole is meant to be recognised as exaggeration, while a lie is meant to be believed. Saying that a bag weighs a ton usually stresses how heavy it feels; it does not ask anyone to accept that weight as a fact.
Can hyperbole also be a metaphor?
Yes, an expression can be both hyperbole and metaphor. Calling a small pile of homework a mountain compares it to something else while also exaggerating its size. Metaphor concerns the comparison; hyperbole concerns how far the claim stretches beyond reality.
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