Hyperbole

Hype is also the name of a documentary film about grunge music.

Hyperbole is sometimes confused with the hyperbola, a type of conic section.

A hyperbole, largely synonymous with exaggeration and overstatement, is a figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated or extravagant. It may be used due to strong feelings or is used to create a strong impression and is not meant to be taken literally. It gives greater emphasis. It is often used in poetry and is a literary device.

Some examples of hyperboles include:

• "He is as big as a house!"
• "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!"
• "That's the worst idea in the world."

The opposite is an understatement, e.g. "Hitler was a an unkind person."

In show business, hyperbole (known as hype or media hype) is the practice of spending money on public relations in an attempt to bolster public interest in (for example) a movie, television show, or performing artist. Often the entertainment value of the thing being hyped is exaggerated.

A common mis-pronunciation is "hyper-bowl." The correct pronunciation is phonetically said as "hye-per-bowley."

Hyperbolism: The act of extrapolating an idea to an absurd extreme for the purpose of defending or promoting an invalid point of view.

See also

• Irony
• Litotes
• Movie marketing
• Quote whore
• Technology hype
• Zillion
• Media hype

External link

• A Glossary of Rhetorical Terms with Examples

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