Connotation in Writing (What Dictionary Can’t Tell You)

An English word can have the same direct meaning but different connotation in writing. You might wonder if connotations are words or phrases.

Well, No! A connotation is basically an emotional, aggressive, or neutral interpretation of a word beyond its standard dictionary meaning.

Sounds interesting? Read this compelling piece of writing to clearly understand what connotation is, how connotations work, and what are examples of connotation.

Don’t Mix Up Connotation and Denotation!

Most of the time, writers, especially those new to the field, puzzle with the concept of connotation in writing and denotation. In a simple definition, a detonation is a dictionary definition or meaning of a word. On the other hand, a connotation is a literary device that tends to add more than one meaning to a word beyond the dictionary definition.

Let’s understand the concept through an example of connotation.

The denotation of “youth” is a period of life between childhood and adult age, but its connotation can bring the concept of “immature” (negative) and “vibrant” (positive) into the mind.

What is Connotation in Writing?

“connotation” is the implied or suggested meaning of a word, which can be positive, negative, or neutral, depending on the context. The connotation helps the writer to set the tone and context of the writing.

Writers use three types of connotation in their writing, and every type leaves a different feeling in the reader. Authors like William Shakespeare and George Orwell are well known for their extensive use of connotation in writing.

There are several examples of connotation in their literature, such as Shakespeare’s “nunnery” in Hamlet and Orwell’s allegory of animals in “Animal Farm,” where each animal represents a specific cultural figure.

Why Do Writers Use Connotation in Writing?

Connotation is a literary device used with writing conventions to create tone, add depth to characters, and make writing more engaging. However, there are many more reasons why the writer uses connotations in their writings. Let’s see what they are.

• The connotation purpose is to explain one thing in more than one way.
• Through connotation, writers set the tone of the sentence passage or the whole story.
• Choosing words with specific connotations helps the reader convey emotions, attitudes, and subtle nuances that enrich the text.
• Writers also use connotation in writing a hook to intrigue, surprise, or grab the reader’s attention.
• Writers use specific connotations to paint a vivid image so readers can visualize the scene or characters. This can be powerful in poetry and literature.
• In formal settings, a writer can indirectly convey complex ideas and themes through specific connotations of words.

Types of Connotation in Writing

Positive, negative, and neutral are three states in connotation. Let’s see how each type affects the writing with a real-life example.

Neutral Connotation

Words with a neutral connotation don’t raise any positive or negative emotions in the reader’s mind. It’s up to them what they interpret from the written work. Here is an example of a negative connotative in a sentence.

Example: The two students copied each other.

Positive Connotation

Words with positive connotations create a good picture of the word in the reader’s mind and raise a sense of positive emotional response. See the example below to understand how a positive connotation differs from a neutral one.

Example: The two students collaborated.

Negative Connotation

A word or phrase with a negative connotation in writing leaves a bad and unpleasant feeling or emotions in the reader. Using the example above, here is the statement that shows the change in “collaboration” to “cheated” to create a negative image of the students.

Example: The two students cheated.

Connotation Sentence Examples

Below, we have mentioned connotation examples sentences from both daily life instances and the literature world.

1. House vs Home: By detonation, both are places to live, but as per connotation, home is a place of warmth, love, comfort, etc.
2. Affordable vs. cheap vs. inexpensive: By detonation, all means to buy something within your budget. In connotation, they are classified as negative, positive, and neutral.
3. Throughout “The Great Gatsby,” Fitzgerald connotes the color “green” to symbolize hope and unachievability, as shown in the repeated imagery of the green light at Daisy’s dock, which represents Gatsby’s desire for Daisy as well as his illusion of having a perfect life.
4. Fine and great are pretty similar in the dictionary, but if I say that your mama’s Thanksgiving dinner last night was fine, It surely means something was missing in it to being great.

Is There Any Query Left About Connotation?

The connotation in writing is a very important literary device that a dictionary can’t help you with. We have provided every detail, including the difference between connotation and detonation, the types of connotation, and examples from real-life instances and literature. If there is somehow any query left behind, ask expert essay writers to help you get through it.