Rhetoric & FiguresIntermediate
Tricolon
Three parallel elements create rhythm, progression, or completion.
Principle
Three is the smallest number that feels like a pattern.
Takeaways
- The third element often confirms, twists, or enlarges the sequence.
- A rising third member creates tricolon crescens.
- Empty threes sound formulaic when the progression is only decorative.
Overview
Tricolon arranges three parallel words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. Its force comes from patterned recurrence and the reader's expectation that the third beat will complete or transform the set.
Examples
- She packed the map, the knife, and the letter she had sworn to burn.
- He came to bargain, to threaten, to beg.