Onomatopoeia are words that mimic (copy) the sound of what is being described, for example: The snake hissed loudly. The word ‘hissed’ sounds like the sound a snake makes. Writers use onomatopoeia because it is difficult to describe a sound with words, and onomatopoeia help the writer to create a clearer, more interesting image for the reader. Many poems include onomatopoeia. Comics also use onomatopoeia to show the sounds that are being made, like ‘pow-pow’ for a gun going off.