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.
Examples:
- "He is as big as a house!"
- "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!"
- "That's the worst idea in the world."
For example, “continued on for years” could be an overstatement (and exaggeration) of “continued on for a long time”.
The opposite is an understatement, e.g. "Stalin was not a nice 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.