THE ROLE OF STYLISTIC DEVICES IN ONLINE NEWS HEADLINES

Abstract

This article explores the role of stylistic devices in online news headlines and explains how they affect the reader’s first perception of news. In digital media, a headline is not only the title of an article. It is also a compact and influential form of language that attracts attention, creates emotional response, and often shapes interpretation before the full text is read. The study focuses on such stylistic devices as metaphor, hyperbole, irony, alliteration, and rhetorical questions. The analysis shows that these devices make headlines more expressive, memorable, and persuasive. At the same time, they may also influence the way readers understand events. The article argues that online news headlines should be studied as important elements of modern media discourse, where language performs not only an informative but also an interpretative function.