Alliteration Examples

Alliteration is a poetic technique in which the initial consonant sounds of words are repeated in close succession. To put it more simply: alliteration is when the beginning sounds of words repeat. It is important to note that alliteration is about the sounds of words, not the letters; therefore, the letter “k” and “c” can be used alliteratively (as in  kitchen and cookie), as well as the letter “s” and “c” (as in sparkle and  cycle).  Also, the words do not need to be directly next to each other in the sentence or stanza to be considered alliterative (although they often are). There is no agreed upon rule governing the distance that alliterative words must share in order for these words to be considered alliteration, but a good guideline to follow is that if you can not detect the repetition of the sounds upon reading the text aloud, then it is unlikely that others would consider the use to be alliterative.

Alliteration
Repeating the same first consonant sounds in a series of words

Here is a list of 101 examples of alliteration in alphabetical order:

Examples of Alliteration Using the “B” Sound
1. Janie read a book by the babbling brook.
2. The child bounced the ball at the backyard barbeque.
3. The barbarians broke through the barricade.
4. He acts silly at times, but he was blessed with a brilliant brain.
5. The beautiful bouquet blossomed in the bright sun.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “C” and “K” Sounds
6. When the canary keeled over, the coal miners left the cave.
7. The captain couldn’t keep the men in the cabin.
8. Erin cooked cupcakes in the kitchen.
9. My Cadillac was completely crushed in a car crash.
10. The candy was killing my cavity.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “Ch” Sound
11. Despite their mother’s warnings, the children chose to chew with their mouths open.
12. The rich man was so cheap that it was chilling.
13. The crowd cheered when the champion hit the challenger with a chair.
14. We sat around the campfire and chomped on chunks of charred chicken.
15. Change the channel.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “D” Sound
16. They would have been on time, if they didn’t dilly-dally.
17. He dunked the delicious donut in dairy creamer.
18. There is nothing but death in the desert during the day.
19. I woke up at school in a slobbery pool; though I used to be dry, now I’m drowning in drool.
20. I dreamt of a drip-dropping drain in my dream.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “F” and  “Ph” Sounds
21. Your friends will flip-flop fast when facing trouble.
22. Our financial future fell into a freefall.
23. The stuntman flipped from a forty foot Ferris wheel.
24. I forgot my flip phone but felt free.
25. That’s the first photo of France from the Moon.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “G” Sound
26. When the tests were distributed, the guys grimaced and groaned.
27. The girl grabbed the golden goose and ran.
28. Grass grows greener in the graveyard.
29. The ghouls and ghosts greeted the gangly goblins.
30. I reached under the desk and grabbed the gross gum.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “H” Sound
31. The hummingbirds hovered in heavenly harmony.
32. She happily helped the homeless.
33. The hecklers hassled the humble harmonica player.
34. After Monique dumped Brian, his heart hung heavily.
35. Those horses have heavy hooves.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “J” and “G” Sounds
36. The gentle giant jumped in jubilation.
37. Juggling jack o’lanterns is my job.
38. He jabbed the javelin into the jail cell.
39. Jellyfish have germs and jarring toxins.
40. The gym was jammed with jelly jars and junk.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “L” Sound
41. Whenever he lied, he lisped a little.
42. The lion licked his lips.
43. Feeling rather lazy, he laid low in the lounge.
44. We lamented the Lord’s lost labor.
45. Her love languished in the limelight.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “M” Sound
46. Menacing sounds of mashing metal machines emanated from the mines.
47. All of the millionaire’s money only made him more melancholy.
48. My mother makes a mouthwatering mincemeat pie.
49. There are madmen in the middle of those mountains.
50. Most monsters don’t mind making messes.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “N,” “Gn,” and “Kn” Sounds
51. My neighbors are not normally noisy.
52. I knew that she’d be a natural at kneading the noodle dough.
53. The ninjas gnashed their knives and nailed their targets.
54. The newt nuzzled in a narrow nook.
55. Mom nabbed her niece by the nape of her neck.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “P” Sound
56. The prince pressed the royal seal on the purple parchment.
57. A paper plane passed over my head.
58. The parrot perched upon the pirate’s peacoat.
59. Sue went to the party and pretended that she was people person.
60. The girls played patty-cake on the park bench.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “R” and “Wr” Sounds
61. The red roses were wrapped in ribbons.
62. She rarely reads; she’d rather write her own books.
63. A radar ring rippled across the monitor.
64. Those ravenous research rabbits have gone rabid!
65. The reporter wrote about the rebel raid.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “S” and “C” Sounds
66. The snake slithered across the sandy seaside.
67. My sassy sister slapped the villain silly.
68. That’s the sound of someone sipping soup for supper.
69. She sniffed and smelled sage and sassafras.
70. Seeking sanctuary, they formed a circle of spears.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “Sh” Sound
71. She should share her sherbert with her sister.
72. A shard of shrapnel shaved her shoulder blade.
73. The sheep were schlepping shyly by the shark tank.
74. He found a shell that even shimmered in the shade.
75. The sheriff wore a shiny star shaped shield.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “St” Sound
76. The store clerk stood and stared at me in stupor.
77. She stuck the stolen stapler in her suitcase.
78. The students threw stones through the stained glass steeple.
79. Everything rested on the strength of the steel structure.
80. Stern winds strew still waters.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “T” Sound
81. The teacher took the troublemakers’ toys.
82. They trounced us in the tried and true tradition.
83. The tattle-tale tried to tell the teacher.
84. Try the turkey tacos; they’re quite tasty.
85. The tornado tossed the trailer like a trash can.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “V” Sound
86. The vapid vixen vented her various vexations.
87. Valiance is a virtue often vacant from these vermin.
88. We viewed the verdant valleys vaunted vegetation.
89. The ventriloquist varied his voice vociferously.
90. Her views on vices were vaguely veiled at best.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “W” Sound
91. The wind was whistling through the weeping willows.
92. Construction workers whistled at the women.
93. We welcomed all the wise men from the West.
94. Don’t wage a war of words against the world.
95. The waffles worsened while the waiter waited.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “Y,” “Eu,” and “U” Sounds
96. In her youth she yearned to wander yonder Europe.
97. I’m used to yelling at you yellowbellies.
98. Your usefulness was used up yesterday.
Examples of Alliteration Using the “Z” and “X” Sound
99. My zodiac was zooming toward the zenith.
100. The xanthous xenophobes were overzealous.
101. The player zipped by the zonal defense and zeroed in on the end zone.


 

Common Core State Standards Related to Alliteration

Anchor Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.4 – Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.5 – Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

View All CCSS Standards Related to Alliteration
ELA Standards: Literature

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4 – Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)

ELA Standards: Language

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.3.5 – Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5a – Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.5b – Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5a – Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5b – Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions) in context.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.5a – Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in the text.

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83 Comments

  1. V

     /  May 14, 2019

    Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villian by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengence; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.

    Reply
  2. skyler davis

     /  April 18, 2019

    can i please have some help i really need it

    Reply
  3. joshua

     /  March 25, 2019

    another one is A good cook could cook as many cookies as a great cook could cook so that means a great cook is as good when cooking cookies but any thing else a great cook could cook better this is made by me Joshua Camarena

    Reply
  4. carter

     /  March 1, 2019

    sam sailed on the sea

    Reply
  5. Alex Everett

     /  February 27, 2019

    this stuff is really cool but when yall do the k and c do them seperate the letters.

    Reply
  6. jadah

     /  February 13, 2019

    can you help me please

    Reply
  7. Giana

     /  December 10, 2018

    these really helped w/ my hw! thank you soooooooooooo much! here is another example with T: Tim takes tigers to torture them- i know its kinda mean but at the same time kinda funny

    Reply
  8. Suniti pandey

     /  June 28, 2018

    It is good to give practical examples

    Reply
  9. KELSIE

     /  March 1, 2018

    SARAH SANG on SOME STAGE

    RABBITS RUNNING ROUND ROCKS

    Reply
  10. Emma W.

     /  October 3, 2017

    What about this one?

    My sister loves the sea but she ate salt and the salty sea made her sick.

    Reply
  11. cchiranjitsingh

     /  August 8, 2017

    Suraj sang the song while sun sees shining on the seashore

    Reply
  12. JAMIR ARED O. BUCABAL

     /  August 2, 2017

    I LIKE ALLITERATION.I NEVER HAD FUN BEFORE

    Reply
  13. Yoyo

     /  June 14, 2017

    Great illustration

    Reply
  14. catherine

     /  May 18, 2017

    I wish teachers could explain in this way.

    Reply
  15. Shruti

     /  March 8, 2017

    Betty bought some butter but she found the butter is bitter so she tried to make the bitter butter better….

    Reply
  16. lisa

     /  March 7, 2017

    Here are the ones I did with my classmates:
    She sails the sea with snails and slugs.
    Musa milks moles and eats mustard.
    Doctor Dom dips digger in the dummy and he dies.
    Siya sings silly songs and eats snails.

    Reply
  17. Emily

     /  January 11, 2017

    That was really easy

    Reply
  18. Joseph G Okello

     /  January 2, 2017

    Must have taken lots of time and effort. Thanks for making my poetry classes alot easier

    Reply
  19. IDK

     /  December 16, 2016

    This was really helpful but I googled “alliteration poem examples” so was kinda disappointed to find just lists of alliteration, but idk. But, I just used the examples and make up my own so idk.

    Reply
  20. CAPTAIN CUPQUAKE

     /  December 9, 2016

    Thanks this was a very nice presentation

    Reply
  21. Cx5Mowery

     /  December 8, 2016

    Big Brown bear blue bull beautiful Baboon blowing bubbles biking backwards bumped black bugs banana boxes and Billy bunnies bread basket and brother Bob’s baseball bus and buster beagles banjo bagpipe bugle band and thats what broke baby birds balloon.

    Reply
  22. Rory McEvoy

     /  November 26, 2016

    Standing by the window looking out at our snow, this came to mind!

    “I was watching fat fluffy flurries falling furiously fast for four hours or more!”

    It really snows a lot here in Elliot Lake, Ontario!

    Reply
    • That’s a nice one. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • puro

         /  November 16, 2023

        not a alliteration but has one in it-He sat he said he wished he washed to be along someone one day ‘tiss till dawn from dawn till day will he find love one day what will you say?

        Reply
  23. Vincent

     /  August 18, 2016

    this is the most helpful website I’ve ever seen!

    Reply
  24. Erin

     /  April 17, 2016

    I loved that it gives ideas of what alliteration meant. I would highly recommend this link

    Reply
  25. Cindy Lowe

     /  February 6, 2016

    If you have a blend like “Br” could this example be consider alliteration: Brice bounces a ball. Or do all the words have to start with the “Br” blend like: Brice brings brownies?

    Reply
    • I think that by definition, “Bryce bounces the ball” is alliteration, but your second example, “Brice brings brownies,” sounds nicer and is a stronger and more clear example of alliteration.

      Best wishes!

      Reply
  26. Princes Hina

     /  February 1, 2016

    Awsome

    Reply
  27. Alexis

     /  December 2, 2015

    Another one is : Carl’s cookie cost a couple quarters.

    Reply
  28. Vandana

     /  September 17, 2015

    Thanks

    Reply
  29. Aston

     /  August 16, 2015

    I am learning about alliteration in school so I am my task is to find some Limerick verses on a website and this the best by far

    Reply
  30. E.Subramanian

     /  July 22, 2015

    I want to share with a funny limerick.
    It all started with a perfume that Willy sent
    His friend Millicent
    It was so old
    That they quarreled I’m told
    Over the silly scent Willy sent Millicent!

    Reply
  31. Josh

     /  July 10, 2015

    Really good and helpful thanks

    Reply
  32. Vikrant Sharma

     /  July 3, 2015

    🙂

    Reply
  33. Lisa Bates

     /  June 2, 2015

    From my school days…
    The ship swayed in the silky sands of the silent sea….

    Reply
  34. Maryambatool

     /  May 25, 2015

    Very helpful thanks thay are good

    Reply
  35. Maryambatool

     /  May 25, 2015

    These alliterations are the best and very helpful and easy too

    Reply
  36. Sophie

     /  May 20, 2015

    such a fabulous website! I love it!

    Reply
  37. virati

     /  May 18, 2015

    excellent wow but where is the alliteration of A

    Reply
    • Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds. A is a vowel. You might be looking for assonance.

      Reply
      • Vicki

         /  April 1, 2017

        Annie Armstrong artfully attacked Arthur Anderson after an August afternoon assembly.

        Reply
  38. dawit

     /  May 15, 2015

    that is great thanks guys

    Reply
  39. Rodri

     /  March 26, 2015

    very helpful thanks

    Reply
  40. arinze favour elizabeth

     /  March 12, 2015

    ONE MORE;
    Walter wondered were Winifred was

    Reply
  41. Shruti Mishra

     /  February 24, 2015

    One more :
    Betty bought butter but the butter was bitter so Betty brought more butter to make the bitter butter better.

    Reply
  42. Brittney

     /  February 9, 2015

    Thanks this was very helpful

    Reply
  43. Tyson mtumbuka

     /  December 12, 2014

    Peter piper picked a pecked of picked paper,a pecked of picked paper peter piper picked.

    Reply
    • Vicki

       /  April 1, 2017

      Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
      If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, then, where’s the peck of pickled peppers, Peter Piper picked?

      One black bug bled blue-black blood while the other black bug bled blue.

      Seventy-seven swashbuckling sailors, stranded on the silver seas, swiftly swam toward silky smooth shores of shifting summer sands and speckled seashells shining in the silent September sun.

      Portly pirates, protecting pretty parrots, prefer perfectly puffy potato pancakes and patient people peacefully playing peek-a-boo with peek-a-poo puppies.

      Reply
  44. Danielle Jones

     /  November 13, 2014

    this alliteration are excellent for other people to use!

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

    Reply
  45. lou

     /  November 3, 2014

    the champion chargrilled the chicken and he chomped in a champion way

    Reply
  46. Gino

     /  October 1, 2014

    it so awesome

    Reply
  47. Emma

     /  August 18, 2014

    Really good and awesome writing

    Reply
  48. fatima javed

     /  May 3, 2014

    awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3

    Reply
  49. mikayla

     /  April 2, 2014

    NICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  50. karla barahona

     /  February 25, 2014

    Another one Is : Jesús was. Jealous from john becas he went to japan. In. A. Jet…. thanks

    Reply

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