aposiopesis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very RareFormal, Literary, Technical (Rhetoric)
Quick answer
What does “aposiopesis” mean?
A rhetorical device where a speaker suddenly breaks off in mid-sentence, leaving the statement unfinished, often for dramatic or emotional effect.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rhetorical device where a speaker suddenly breaks off in mid-sentence, leaving the statement unfinished, often for dramatic or emotional effect.
A literary or conversational technique where a thought or sentence is deliberately left incomplete, inviting the audience to mentally supply the omitted, often more impactful, conclusion.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
None; it is a technical term with identical meaning and usage across both varieties.
Connotations
Highly erudite, academic. Conveys a user with knowledge of classical rhetoric.
Frequency
Equally rare in both UK and US English, confined to scholarly, literary, or very formal commentary.
Grammar
How to Use “aposiopesis” in a Sentence
The author's use of aposiopesis in the soliloquy...The sentence ends in an aposiopesis, suggesting...This is a classic case of aposiopesis.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “aposiopesis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The playwright **aposiopesed** the line to heighten the tension.
- He was known to **aposiopese** at critical moments.
American English
- The character's speech **aposiopesed** dramatically.
- She chose to **aposiopese** rather than state the obvious.
adverb
British English
- He stopped speaking **aposiopetically**, his meaning clear.
- The line ends **aposiopetically** with a dash.
American English
- She trailed off **aposiopetically**, unable to continue.
- The threat was delivered **aposiopetically**.
adjective
British English
- His **aposiopetic** delivery left the audience in suspense.
- The **aposiopetic** effect was chilling.
American English
- The **aposiopetic** break was masterfully timed.
- An **aposiopetic** silence followed the accusation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. In an extreme case, might describe a dramatic, unfinished threat in negotiations.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, rhetoric, linguistics, and classical studies to analyze texts.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound pretentious in casual conversation.
Technical
Standard term within the technical field of rhetoric and stylistics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “aposiopesis”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “aposiopesis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “aposiopesis”
- Using it to describe any pause or hesitation (it must be deliberate and meaningful).
- Pronouncing it with stress on 'po' (/əˈpəʊzi.../) instead of 'si' (/...ˌsaɪə.../).
- Misspelling: 'aposiopsis' or 'aposiapesis'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. An ellipsis (...) is the punctuation mark often used to *indicate* an omission or pause. Aposiopesis is the specific rhetorical *technique* of deliberately breaking off a statement.
While the *act* of trailing off is common, labelling it as 'aposiopesis' in everyday conversation would be highly unusual and academic. The term is reserved for analysis of deliberate, artistic, or rhetorical use.
Its purposes include creating suspense, expressing overwhelming emotion, implying a threat too terrible to name, suggesting the inexpressible, or inviting the audience to participate by completing the thought.
Not always, but it is frequently signaled in writing by an em dash (—) or ellipsis (...). The key is the sudden, meaningful cessation of speech.
A rhetorical device where a speaker suddenly breaks off in mid-sentence, leaving the statement unfinished, often for dramatic or emotional effect.
Aposiopesis is usually formal, literary, technical (rhetoric) in register.
Aposiopesis: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæpə(ʊ)ˌsʌɪəˈpiːsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæpəˌsaɪəˈpiːsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To leave a sentence hanging.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'A POSI (position) of PEsis (pause)' – it's a pause in a position mid-sentence.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPEECH IS A JOURNEY; aposiopesis is an ABRUPT STOP on that journey.
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following situations is 'aposiopesis' most accurately used?