Litotes
Pronounced LY-tuh-teez.
Litotes: Deliberate understatement that affirms something by negating its opposite.
Litotes says less on purpose so the reader supplies the emphasis; 'not bad' from the right narrator can outweigh a page of praise.
Litotes examples
"Not bad."
— common usage
"He's no fool."
— common usage
"Old English poems such as Beowulf lean on grim understatement: a deadly battle is 'no pleasant exchange'."
— Beowulf
"The exam results were not exactly a triumph."
— original example
Spot the Litotes
Score: 0/0Deliberate understatement that affirms something by negating its opposite.
"Not bad."
Which work is this from?
Explore every literary device in the poetic devices hub.
Litotes: common questions
What is litotes in literature?
Deliberate understatement that affirms something by negating its opposite. Litotes says less on purpose so the reader supplies the emphasis; 'not bad' from the right narrator can outweigh a page of praise.
What is an example of litotes?
A classic example is "Not bad." (common usage).
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