Figures of Speech
Onomatopoeia
Use words that sound like what they describe for vivid effect.
What it is
Before & after
“Generic description: "The machine made sounds before it stopped working."”
“Onomatopoeic: "The machine started clicking, then grinding, then went silent with a final thunk."”
When you’ll use it
Process descriptions: "The printer was clicking and whirring all night" vs "The printer was making mechanical noises"
Product demonstrations: "You'll hear a satisfying click when it locks in place" vs "You'll hear a sound"
Problem reporting: "The server was buzzing loudly before it crashed" vs "The server made noise"
Customer experience: "Their response was a resounding thud" vs "Their response was negative"
Pro tip
Add sound effects sparingly to paint vivid pictures.
Questions & answers
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