Alliteration: Adding Aesthetic Appeal to Your Articulation (with 64 examples)

less then minute ago Derek Murphy 1

In the world of literature, various tools and techniques help writers add depth, beauty, and rhythm to their works. One such tool, beloved by poets and prose writers alike, is alliteration. Alliteration can elevate the aesthetics of your writing and make it more memorable and engaging. But what is alliteration, and how can you use it in your writing? Let’s explore.

What is Alliteration?

Alliteration is a stylistic literary device that involves the repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a series of words in a sentence or line. This repetition creates a rhythmic sound, adding a musical quality to the text. Alliteration is often used in poetry, prose, tongue twisters, and even in everyday speech to add emphasis, create mood, and make language more memorable and lyrical.

For instance, in the phrase “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,” the repetition of the ‘p’ sound is an example of alliteration.

Examples of Alliteration

Alliteration can be as simple as two words that start with the same sound, such as ‘wild wind,’ or as complex as a whole sentence, like ‘Sally sells seashells by the seashore.’ It can involve any consonant sound, not just the actual letters. For example, ‘furry ferret’ and ‘phony phone’ both employ alliteration even though ‘ph’ and ‘f’ are different letters because they make the same sound.

Alliteration in famous literature

Throughout literary history, alliteration has been effectively employed to create unforgettable lines and phrases. Here are a few iconic examples:

“From forth the fatal loins of these two foes; A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.”
- From William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The ‘f’ sound in ‘forth,’ ‘fatal,’ ‘foes,’ and ‘from’ and the ‘l’ sound in ‘loins,’ ‘lovers,’ and ‘life’ are examples of alliteration.
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
- The closing line of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” with the ‘b’ sound repeated in ‘beat,’ ‘boats,’ ‘borne,’ and ‘back.’
“Do not go gentle into that good night.”
- This line from Dylan Thomas’s famous villanelle uses the ‘g’ sound in ‘go’ and ‘gentle,’ and the ‘n’ sound in ‘not’ and ‘night.’
“The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The furrow followed free.”
- This line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is rich in alliteration with the ‘f’ sound and ‘b’ sound.
“Life is made of ever so many partings welded together.” – Charles Dickens, “Great Expectations.” (Repetition of the ‘m’ sound)
“The soul selects her own society.” – Emily Dickinson, “The Soul selects her own Society.” (Repetition of the ‘s’ sound)
“The sedge has withered from the lake, And no birds sing.” – John Keats, “La Belle Dame sans Merci.” (Repetition of the ‘s’ sound)
“The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew.” – Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” (Repetition of the ‘b’ and ‘f’ sound)
“We loved with a love that was more than love.” – Edgar Allan Poe, “Annabel Lee.” (Repetition of the ‘l’ sound)
“He was watching the waves crash against the shore; the silver arc of the last missile.” – Cormac McCarthy, “The Road.” (Repetition of the ‘s’ sound)
“And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain.” – Edgar Allan Poe, “The Raven.” (Repetition of the ‘s’ sound)
“The world was wider than you thought, and it hurt to know it.” – Patrick Rothfuss, “The Name of the Wind.” (Repetition of the ‘w’ sound)

Writing Tips: How to Use Alliteration

Alliteration is an excellent tool for creating memorable and sonorous phrases. When used correctly, it can be a powerful tool in your writing arsenal. Whether in classic literature or modern novels, its use adds texture and rhythm to the narrative. Here are some tips on how to use it:

Don’t Overdo It: Alliteration is like a strong spice. A little can enhance the flavor, but too much can overwhelm the dish. Use it sparingly to highlight specific points or create a particular mood.
Use It for Emphasis: Alliteration can make a phrase or sentence more memorable, so use it when you want to emphasize a point or make something stand out to your reader.
Consider the Sound: Different sounds can create different moods. Hard sounds like ‘k’ or ‘g’ can create a harsher, more forceful mood, while softer sounds like ‘s’ or ‘f’ can create a softer, more gentle mood.
Experiment: Try out different combinations of sounds and words. Writing is an art, and sometimes it takes a bit of experimentation to find what works best.
Read Aloud: Alliteration is all about the sound, so read your writing aloud to hear how the alliteration works in practice. Does it flow? Does it create the mood or emphasis you wanted?

Remember, the goal of alliteration, like any literary device, is to enhance your writing and communicate your ideas more effectively. So have fun with it, play with sounds, and see how this simple technique can add a new dimension to your work. Happy writing!

52 more creative alliteration examples

Just for fun, this one follows the alphabet. I used to play a game – similar to the 12 days of christmas song – where you had to add a new phrase each round and get people to repeat and try to remember them all. I don’t think I could manage playing through to 26 but maybe you can! (1 amazing alligator, 2 billy blue birds, 3 cats cuddling etc…)

Amazing alligators are always around.
Billy’s blue bird bakes bread beautifully.
Cats cuddle cutely on the comfy couch.
Daring dogs dig deep ditches daily.
Eager elephants enjoy eating elderberries.
Furry ferrets frolic fearlessly in the forest.
Giggling geese go gallivanting in the garden.
Hopping hares have heavy, hairy hindquarters.
Interesting iguanas insist on ice cream.
Jolly jackrabbits jump jubilantly in June.
Kind kangaroos keep keys in their knapsacks.
Lively lizards love lounging in the light.
Mischievous monkeys make marvellous magicians.
Nifty narwhals navigate north near Norway.
Obnoxious ostriches often overeat oatmeal.
Plump penguins perform perfect pirouettes.
Quirky quails quietly queue for quiche.
Rambunctious rabbits race rapidly on the runway.
Sleepy sloths slowly slurp strawberry smoothies.
Tiny turtles take their time to travel.
Unusual unicorns use umbrellas underwater.
Vivacious vultures view various videos voraciously.
Wacky wombats wear wigs while washing windows.
Xerophilous xerus (a type of squirrel) xerox x-ray images.
Yawning yaks yearn for yellow yarn.
Zany zebras zigzag in the zucchini zone.

Alliteration is all about the fun of phonetics. Play around with it, and you can create some truly terrific tongue twisters! See how fast you can say these. We had to get creative with “x”….

Apologetic ants arrange an apple assembly.
Bashful bats balance blueberries on their backs.
Curious cats chase colorful cotton candy clouds.
Dapper ducks dance during the dawn.
Exuberant elephants exercise enthusiastically every evening.
Fancy frogs flip flapjacks for Friday feasts.
Graceful gazelles gallop gleefully on the green grass.
Happy hippos have humongous hamburgers for lunch.
Intelligent iguanas invest in interesting inventions.
Jovial jellyfish join the jazz jamboree.
Kooky kangaroos keep kites in the kitchen.
Lucky leopards leap over large logs.
Magical mice make magnificent marshmallow mountains.
Napping newts never notice the noisy nightingales.
Outrageous owls organize an onion orchestra.
Playful pandas paint pictures of purple peonies.
Quaint quokkas quickly quilt a queen-sized quilt.
Ridiculous raccoons ride rollercoasters in rubber raincoats.
Silly squirrels sing songs about strawberry shortcake.
Terrific tigers take turns telling tales.
Unhappy unicorns use umbrellas under the ultraviolet sun.
Vibrant vixens value velvet vests and violet violins.
Witty weasels write wondrous works of wisdom.
Xanthous (yellowish) xerus xerox xylophone music for their xebec (ship).
- Xerox-loving Xiphias (a type of swordfish) x-ray xylophones in Xanadu.
Youthful yellowjackets yodel yearly at the yucca in the yard.
Zealous zeppelins zoom zestfully in the zenith, zigzagging over zebras in the zoo.

And there we have it! We’ve navigated through a cornucopia of consonants, from A to Z, in our exploration of alliteration. It’s been a phonetic fiesta. So, go ahead, let these examples inspire you to create your own alliterative adventures!

Derek Murphy

I’m a philosophy dropout with a PhD in Literature. I covet a cabin full of cats, where I can write fantasy novels to pay for my cake addiction. Sometimes I live in castles.