In rhetoric, antimetabole (/ æ n t ɪ m ə ˈ t æ b ə l iː / AN-ti-mə-TAB-ə-lee) is the repetition of words in successive clauses, but in transposed order; for example, "I know what I like, and I like what I know".

Antimetabole is derived from a Greek word which means “turning about.” It is a literary term or device that involves repeating a phrase in reverse order. For example: “You like it; it likes you.” “Fair is foul and foul is fair.”

Antimetabole is a figure of speech in which a phrase is repeated, but with the order of words reversed. John F. Kennedy's words, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," is a famous example of antimetabole. …

Definition of Antimetabole. The word “Antimetabole” is derived from the Greek “antimetabolḗ” meaning “against” or “opposite” and “turning about” or “change.” Antimetabole can be used by writers to strengthen their argument through emphasis or show the reader how two ideas are related to one another.

Antimetabole (an-tee-meh-TA-boe-lee): Figure of emphasis in which the words in one phrase or clause are replicated, exactly or closely, in reverse grammatical order in the next phrase or clause; an inverted order of repeated words in adjacent phrases or clauses (A-B, B-A).

When you repeat a phrase in reverse, you use the literary device known as antimetabole. Shakespeare was a fan of a good antimetabole, as in "Fair is foul and foul is fair."

Jan 16, 2020 · In rhetoric, a verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the words in reverse grammatical order (A-B-C, C-B-A) is called antimetabole. Pronounced as "an-tee-meh-TA-bo-lee," it is essentially the same as chiasmus .

Nov 21, 2023 · Antimetabole is a rhetorical device that employs a parallel, or balanced, grammatical construction by repeating words in reverse order within a sentence or across a sentence pair. Antimetabole is...

Jun 8, 2011 · Antimetabole is the reversal of clauses but using the same words, structure and rhythm to create an opposite meaning. Thus, for example, Mae West’s classic: “It’s not the men in my life, it’s the life in my men.”

Sep 16, 2023 · Antimetabole is a rhetorical literary device defined by the repetition of words or phrases in reverse order within successive clauses or sentences. Its primary functions are to emphasize key points, establish balance and symmetry in the text, and enhance both memorability and rhetorical impact.