Hyperbole

Definition of Hyperbole

Hyperbole is the use of obvious and deliberate exaggeration. Hyperbolic statements are often extravagant and not meant to be taken literally. These statements are used to create a strong impression and add emphasis. We use hyperbole frequently in everyday language, saying things like “I’m so hungry I could eat a cow,” or “We had to wait forever for the bus.” Hyperbole sometimes makes use simile or metaphor to create the effect of exaggeration, such as “He’s as strong as an ox.”

The definition of hyperbole comes from the Greek for “to throw beyond” or “exaggeration.”

Common Examples of Hyperbole

As noted above, there are many examples of hyperbole in common speech. One of the most frequently used hyperboles in English is the word “literally”—many people in contemporary speech use this word when they actually mean the opposite, i.e., figuratively. An example would be “I was literally starving.” In this case, the speaker is probably not suffering from malnutrition, but instead was merely quite hungry, and thus was only figuratively starving. There was some controversy recently when definition of the word “literally” was updated to include the definition “to acknowledge that something is not literally true but is used for emphasis or to express strong feeling.” Thus, “literally” has become one of the primary ways to exaggerate and hyperbolize a certain statement.

Here are some more common examples of hyperbole:

• The suitcase weighed a ton.
• I’m so angry, I could kill him!
• I’ve asked you not to do that a thousand times.
• If he doesn’t call by tonight, I will absolutely die.
• She’s as skinny as a toothpick.

Some jokes also take advantage of hyperbole, like the “Your Mama” jokes. For example:

• Your mama is so lazy she got a remote controller to operate her remote.
• Your mama is so old her social security number is 1.
• Your mama is so ugly they didn’t give her a costume when she auditioned for Star Wars.

http://www.literarydevices.com/hyperbole/