Aposiopestic

/ˌæpoʊsiəˈpɛstɪk/ adjective

Definition

Of or relating to aposiopesis; characterized by sudden breaks in speech or trailing off for effect.

Etymology

From aposiopesis plus the adjectival suffix -ic. This adjective allows literary critics and rhetoricians to describe speeches or texts that employ this stylistic technique.

Kelly Says

Aposiopestic writing is especially common in modern literature and screenwriting because it mirrors how real people actually talk when they're emotional or conflicted—they don't finish their thoughts, they just stop.

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