Which sentence is an example of metonymy?

• A. The White House announced the new policy.
• B. The rain fell softly.
• C. The author pens a new novel.
• D. The army marched into the valley.

Answer: (A)

Metonymy is when a name of one thing is used to stand for something closely related to it. In this sentence, The White House stands for the people who run the government—the president and his administration—so the building’s name is used to represent those officials. The other sentences describe literal events or actions and don’t substitute a related name for the person or group behind the action. The rain falling is just weather, not a substitution. The author pens a new novel uses writing language but doesn’t replace a person or office with a related term. The army marching into the valley depicts movement in a place, not a substitution for the soldiers or leadership.