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extreme hyperbole

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A highly exaggerated figure of speech surpassing ordinary hyperbole

Detailed Definition
Extreme hyperbole is a rhetorical and poetic device involving extravagant, implausible, or wildly exaggerated statements used not for literal truth but to convey intense emotion, satirical critique, or heightened dramatic effect; unlike mild overstatement, extreme hyperbole pushes language to its limits—claiming oceans of tears or mountains of grief—to shock, amuse, or underscore the overwhelming nature of the subject.
Example
Example in poetry:
“I have measured out my life with coffee spoons” – Eliot, exaggerating triviality; “The world is too much with us” – Wordsworth, overstating disconnection; “I could eat a horse” – hyperbolic hunger; “He’s as old as time” – extreme age
Additional Notes
Extreme hyperbole is an excessive exaggeration used for dramatic effect, emphasis, or humor that goes far beyond normal credible limits; it's a rhetorical figure of speech much stronger than simple exaggeration, aiming to produce a strong emotional response or vividly illustrate an idea; for example: "I had a million things to do."
Also Known As
Overstatement Rhetorical exaggeration Epic hyperbole Wild amplification Adynaton
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