Synecdoche and metonymy

Bear with me, I know this sounds like a complicated one, but you’ve likely encountered these two terms without knowing what they’re called. They are used most commonly to refer to other words or phrases – sometimes as part of slang, or a shortening of a pre-existing place, person, emotion or object.

In this blog post, I’ll be covering the meaning and some examples of synecdoche and metonymy, as well as some key differences between the two. Hopefully by the end, you should have a better idea of two widely-employed language techniques!

What are synecdoche and metonymy?

Both refer to expressions used in place of other words – synecdoche is when a part of the word is used to mean the whole thing (threads = clothes, heels = shoes, and more). Metonymy, on the other hand, is using a close association or related cousin of the word, like ‘press’ to mean journalists (which originates from the printing press).

Actually, if we’re getting specific, technically synecdoche is a type of metonymy. It can be kind of difficult to tell them apart – and often it can also be tricky to tell if something is a metaphor or simile instead – so here are some examples which will hopefully simplify the two!

Describing yourself as a ‘magpie’ for collecting shiny trinkets would come under the definition of a metaphor – as unless you’re sprouting feathers, you aren’t actually a bird! Saying someone ‘sings like a bird’ would be a simile, since you’ve likened the trait to something else. But if you described ‘crow’s feet’ to mean someone ageing, then this would come under the definition of metonymy, as this phrase is one of the characteristics of getting older and wrinkles forming. However, synecdoche would be if you mentioned asked people if they wanted ‘wings’ to mean chicken for lunch.

Why use metonymy or synecdoche?

Synecdoche has a lot of cultural uses, as well as being used a lot in typical speech. Because of this, it can also be used in writing to craft vivid and memorable imagery. It’s also a brilliant way of conveying more complex or abstract ideas in a clearer way, through the use of symbolism. 

Metonymy can also be used for clarifying ideas, but its best use by far is for wordplay and puns. It also helps cut down on words, which can be helpful for brevity when you are bound by a strict limit – and in writing, if you can be as clear and as concise as possible, then you’re on the right track!

You what?

That was a brief look at synecdoche and metonymy in writing – I could have sat here all day listing examples, but I think it’s much more exciting if you go out there and create your own! There are also many out there in the wild, so go looking for examples!