Antimetabole
Reverse the order of repeated words in successive clauses.
What & why
The reversal works because the second clause reuses words the listener just heard, so the brain processes it with almost no new vocabulary load and can focus entirely on the flipped meaning. The symmetry creates a satisfying click of recognition, and the balanced, rhythmic structure makes the line easy to repeat. Because the same words point in opposite directions, the contrast feels earned rather than asserted, which can make the idea sound like discovered truth.
Before & after
These are fictional teaching examples, not accounts of real events.
“We should work to live instead of living to work.”
“Ask not what your company can do for you, ask what you can do for your company.”
When you’ll use it
Motivational closing statements: 'We don't plan to fail, we fail to plan' or 'Success breeds confidence, confidence breeds success'
Corporate values articulation: 'We hire for culture fit and train for skill, not hire for skill and hope for culture fit'
Strategic positioning statements: 'Customers don't buy products, they buy solutions; we don't sell products, we solve problems'
Pro tip
Create perfect symmetry: A-B becomes B-A.
Questions & answers
What is antimetabole in rhetoric?
How can I use antimetabole in business presentations?
What makes antimetabole more effective than simple repetition?
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Put it into practice
Practice public speaking
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