1. Metaphor: "Thought I'd find a way, to get myself around, this hurt."
- This line compares the emotional pain of lost love to a physical obstacle that the speaker needs to navigate around.
2. Simile: "Nothing compares, no worries or cares, rid you of these blues."
- Here, the singer compares the unmatched potency of heartbreak to a persisting feeling of sadness and dejection.
3. Personification: "The laughter has died down"
- This line gives the abstract concept of laughter human qualities by attributing the ability to die down, like a person.
4. Anaphora: "Never mind, I'll find someone, like you..." (repeated multiple times)
- The repetition of "never mind" and "like you" creates emphasis and builds emotional intensity in the song's chorus.
5. Paradox: "I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited, but I couldn't stay away."
- The singer expresses a contradictory desire to appear and not appear in the life of the person they are addressing, highlighting the complexity of their feelings.
6. Enjambment: "If I was good, then, why'd you leave?
Don't say we couldn't grow"
- The continuation of the thought across the line break in the first line adds a sense of urgency and impact to the question, while the second line, despite its separation, remains closely connected.
7. Alliteration: "I wish nothing but the best for you, too"
- The repetition of the "b" consonant sound in this line creates a sense of smoothness and emphasis.
8. Rhetorical Question: "How can I love when I'm the only one here."
- Adele poses a question without expecting a direct answer, reflecting on the challenges of loving when feeling alone and isolated.
These instances of figurative language contribute to the emotional resonance and depth of the song, allowing the listener to connect with Adele's personal journey of heartbreak and healing.