What Is Zeugma? | Definition & Examples
Zeugma [pronounced “zyoog-ma” or “zoog-ma”] is a figure of speech where a single word, especially a verb or adjective, is applied to two or more words, even though it has a different meaning in each context (e.g., “He lost his phone and his temper,” where “lost” has a different meaning in relation to “phone” and “temper”).
Here, “smashed” is used literally in relation to Sean’s finger and figuratively about the team’s chances.
Zeugma definition
Zeugma comes from the Greek word “ζεῦγμα” which means “yoking together,” and it has been used in English since at least the 15th century. In zeugma, one word is used to yoke two ideas together, often for humorous effect.
The purpose of zeugma is usually to amuse or cause the reader to pause and think. So, when Jane Austen writes in Pride and Prejudice that “time and her aunt moved slowly,” she uses the literal and figurative meaning of “move” to amuse her reader.
Zeugma is found in everything from classical literature (e.g., “They covered the earth with their shields and themselves with glory”—The Iliad by Homer) to pop music (e.g., “You held your breath and the door for me”—“Head Over Feet” by Alanis Morissette).
Zeugma examples
There are many examples of zeugma in literature, television, film, and song.
“As a first lieutenant and platoon leader, Jimmy Cross carried a compass, maps, code books, binoculars, and a .45-caliber pistol that weighed 2.9 pounds fully loaded. He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men.”
The zeugma adds great pathos here; the list of physical things carried is demanding enough, but the final item makes the reader stop and think about the enormity of that responsibility.
You will find examples of zeugma in television as well.
“The theme of the egg hunt is ‘learning is delightful and delicious’—as, by the way, am I.’”
The comment provides some much-needed relief in an episode that is both tense and pivotal, and CJ provides humor by deliberately linking the description of the event and herself. .
There are plenty of examples of zeugma in popular music too.
“And later on as the crowd thinned out
I’s just about to do the same”
Dylan’s playful use of language uses zeugma to describe both the thinning of the crowd and the narrator’s intended departure from the venue.
“There was music in the cafés at night
And revolution in the air”
Here, the verb “was” is used to describe two quite different things—the actual, observable music and a general sense of revolutionary disquiet.
Frequently asked questions about zeugma
- What is an example of zeugma?
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You will find examples of zeugma in literature, television, film, and popular music. Zeugma is a literary device where one word (often a verb) will govern, or apply to, two or more different words (e.g., Alanis Morissette’s “You held your breath and the door for me”).
Other examples of zeugma include:
- “He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men.”—The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
- “The theme of the egg hunt is ‘learning is delightful and delicious’—as, by the way, am I.’”—The West Wing by Aaron Sorkin
- “There was music in the cafés at night
- And revolution in the air”—”Tangled Up In Blue” by Bob Dylan
“They covered the earth with their shields and themselves with glory.”—The Iliad by Homer
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Marshall, T. (2025, January 20). What Is Zeugma? | Definition & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved February 10, 2025, from https://www.scribbr.com/rhetoric/zeugma/