Rhetorical Strategies You Can Use in the Workplace and Beyond

Rhetorical strategies, also called rhetorical devices, are words or sentences you can use to make a point, convey emotion and meaning, or to get your audience to respond a certain way. You may use rhetorical strategies in your everyday communication with others or during a presentation when you want to gain your audience’s trust and attention.

Here are a few examples of rhetorical strategies:

Accismus

When you use accismus, you’re pretending to not want something when you actually do want it.

Example: No, you need to speak to our manager more than me. Go ahead and take this time slot.

Adnomination

Adnomination means using words that contain the same root words in a row with the goal of sounding more compelling.

Example: With the right people on the project, this software will work, and benefit somebody, somewhere, someday.

Alliteration

Alliteration is one of the most common rhetorical strategies. It involves using repetition in the first sound of a word or phases, intending to draw attention.

Example: Margot made a meeting invite with managers.

Amplification

Amplification is when you get your audience to feel a sense of importance in what you’re saying.

Example: This employee is an excellent worker, creative, willing to mentor, and full of positivity.

Anacoenosis

Anacoenosis is a rhetorical question that is asked of a large audience. Rhetorical questions either don’t require an answer or the answer is obvious.

Example: Do you not think we should have a meeting about this?

Anacoluthon

With anacoluthon, you’d interrupt yourself in the middle of an idea or statement, only to pick it back up immediately.

Example: I can’t believe our manager — I just haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet.

Anadiplosis

Anadiplosis involves using the same word at the end of one sentence and the beginning of the next. Managers often use anadiplosis to motivate you at work.

Example: Our project is our passion, and our passion is our project.

Anaphora

Anaphora provides emphasis by repeating a stream of words at the beginning of ordered sentences.

Example: Let our team define the department. Let our team create something great for the organization. Let our team serve as inspiration to others.

Antanagoge

An antanagoge is commonly used when you want to present both a problem and a solution within one thought.

Example: This office may be old, but it’s the place where we form great ideas and work as a team.

Anthimeria

Anthimeria is when you use one type of word for another. It’s most commonly used when turning a noun into a verb.

Example: Let’s table that discussion.

Antiphrasis

When you say something, but mean the opposite, you’re using antiphrasis.

Example: Tell me about it! (when not actually wanting to hear it)

Antonomasia

Antonomasia is a name used for someone or something based on a characteristic.

Example: Mrs. Smarty Pants completed that task in no time.

Apophasis

With apophasis, you are bringing up a subject but not taking responsibility for it.

Example: I didn’t say that your work was sub-par, but your tasks were the incomplete ones.

Aporia

Aporia is when you express insincere doubt to raise doubt in others so you can later prove a point.

Example: How are we going to fix this? We aren’t just going to let our customers down, are we?

Aposiopesis

Aposiopesis is an unfinished thought that may leave the audience wondering what happens next.

Example: Arrive to work on time or else…

Asterismos

When you begin your thought with an exclamation, you’re using asterismos.

Example: Look! Look at the amazing impact we had.

Asyndeton

Asyndeton is when you do not use conjunctions because there is more emphasis without them.

Example: I came, I saw, I conquered.

Auxesis

Auxesis is an overstatement or exaggeration.

Example: If you cover my shift for me, you’d be my hero.

Chiasmus

Chiasmus invokes emotion in the audience by switching up the order of words you’re using from one idea to the next.

Example: We are tasked with changing this tool, and in the end, the tool will change us.

Dialogismus

You’re using dialogismus when you speak for someone else and what you imagine their thoughts or actions to be.

Example: Walter forgetting to sign off on the project was merely an oversight.

Euphemism

Euphemism is when you use a charming phrase when referring to something that’s not. It’s used in an effort to be more polite and less offensive.

Example: I decided to take an early retirement from work. (Used instead of announcing they quit a company)

Hypophora

Hypophora is used when you ask a question, but then immediately provide an answer. It’s more common in speeches and presentations.

Example: Why is this organizational structure important? It’s important because we need to continue meeting our company goals.

Meiosis

Meiosis is an understatement for something that’s actually expansive or important.

Example: Our client lives a town away, but it’s basically around the corner.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a word that is spelled out as the sound it makes.

Example: Knock, knock! Can I come in for a meeting?

Personification

Personification is when you use human characteristics to describe a non-human thing.

Example: Social media never sleeps.

Pleonasm

When you incorporate redundancies into your writing or speech to emphasize a point, you’re using pleonasm.

Example: I saw that customer’s happiness with my own two eyes.

Polysyndeton

Polysyndeton is when you use more conjunctions than is necessary.

Example: We opened the office door and we turned on all the computers and then we got to work for the day, but then everyone else arrived.

Similes

Similes are a comparison tool, where you compare one thing to another thing that’s different.

Example: They were hungry as dogs at their lunch break.

Tmesis

Tmesis is when you insert a word into the middle of a word to add emphasis.

Example: That’s a-whole-nother issue with the system.

Zeugma

With a zeugma, you’re using one word (usually a verb) to describe two thoughts.

Example: The presentation was so moving, the audience had tears in their eyes and hearts.