Which term substitutes a closely associated term for the thing itself?

• A. Metonymy
• B. Onomatopoeia
• C. Oxymoron
• D. Personification

Answer: (A)

Metonymy is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is substituted by something closely linked to it. This means you refer to the thing by a related term rather than its own name. For example, saying “the White House announced a new policy” uses the building as a stand-in for the presidency or the administration. Similarly, “Hollywood is releasing a film” points to the film industry rather than the physical place. This approach differs from onomatopoeia, which imitates sounds (like buzz or hiss); from oxymoron, which combines opposing terms for effect; and from personification, which gives human qualities to nonhuman things.