What literary technique uses high exaggeration for effect?

Hyperbole is the literary technique that employs extreme exaggeration for effect. It is used to emphasize a point or create a dramatic impact, often in a humorous or striking way. For instance, saying "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" illustrates hyperbole by taking the idea of hunger to an extreme that is clearly not literal but serves to communicate the speaker's intense feeling of hunger.

In contrast, the other terms represent different techniques. Understatement minimizes the significance of something, contrary to hyperbole's amplification. Irony involves expressing something contrary to what is expected, often highlighting a discrepancy between reality and appearance. Metonymy is a figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted with another closely related term, without exaggeration or amplification. Each of these terms serves unique functions within literature, but hyperbole specifically stands out for its reliance on exaggeration to make a strong impression.