Definition
What is hyperbole?
Deliberate and obvious exaggeration used for effect.
Hyperbole is intentional, obvious exaggeration not meant to be taken literally. When someone says 'I've told you a million times,' both speaker and listener know it's not literally a million—the exaggeration emphasizes frustration. Hyperbole creates emphasis, humor, and emotional intensity. It's especially powerful in comedy, where impossible exaggerations build absurdity, and in emotional moments, where literal language feels inadequate. The key is that hyperbole must be clearly exaggerated—subtle overstatement confuses rather than emphasizes.
On the page
Hyperbole examples
“I've told you a million times not to exaggerate.”
“I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.”
Famous examples in literature
A Midsummer Night's Dream
William Shakespeare
Pyramus declares: 'O dainty duck! O dear! ... Tongue, lose thy light; Moon take thy flight.' The lovers' hyperbolic language parodies romantic excess.
Catch-22
Joseph Heller
The entire novel uses hyperbolic bureaucratic absurdity: 'There was only one catch and that was Catch-22.'
Bossypants
Tina Fey
Comedy memoir uses constant hyperbole: 'My ability to turn good news into anxiety is rivaled only by my ability to turn anxiety into chin acne.'
For writers
How writers use hyperbole
- Make the exaggeration obvious—subtle overstatement reads as lying
- Use in dialogue to reveal character emotion or personality
- Combine with understatement (litotes) for contrast
- Match intensity to the moment—bigger emotions justify bigger hyperbole
Why it matters
- Emphasizes emotions when literal language falls short
- Creates humor through absurd exaggeration
- Makes points memorable through vividness
- Reveals character voice—some people speak in hyperbole naturally
Across different genres
Stack absurdities: 'My ex had the emotional intelligence of a parking meter—and was equally receptive to my feelings.'
'I would cross a thousand burning deserts to bring you a glass of water'—hyperbole as devotion
'The darkness was absolute, total, a black so complete it had weight'—hyperbole amplifies dread
Teen narrators often speak in hyperbole naturally: 'If I have to sit through one more of his lectures, I will literally die.'
Common pitfalls
- Overuse: Constant hyperbole loses impact and annoys readers
- Wrong genre: Hyperbole in serious literary fiction can feel juvenile
- Confusion: If readers might take it literally, it's not clear enough
- Clichéd hyperbole: 'Dying of boredom' and 'starving' have lost all power
Try it in your own writing
- Comedy: Describe a mundane inconvenience (traffic, slow WiFi) with increasingly absurd hyperbole
- Romance: Write a declaration of love using three hyperbolic impossibilities
- Horror: Use hyperbole to describe a monster's size or power in a way that feels mythic, not silly
Quick answers
Hyperbole FAQ
What is hyperbole?
Deliberate and obvious exaggeration used for effect. Hyperbole is intentional, obvious exaggeration not meant to be taken literally. When someone says 'I've told you a million times,' both speaker and listener know it's not literally a million—the exaggeration emphasizes frustration. Hyperbole creates emphasis, humor, and emotional intensity. It's especially powerful in comedy, where impossible exaggerations build absurdity, and in emotional moments, where literal language feels inadequate. The key is that hyperbole must be clearly exaggerated—subtle overstatement confuses rather than emphasizes.
What are some examples of hyperbole?
The examples on this page include Common Expression and Common Expression. Each one shows how the device works in context.
How can writers use hyperbole effectively?
Make the exaggeration obvious—subtle overstatement reads as lying Use in dialogue to reveal character emotion or personality Combine with understatement (litotes) for contrast