Asyndeton is the deliberate omission of conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. The result is a compressed, rapid, or emphatic sequence.

Caesar’s “I came, I saw, I conquered” gains force from the missing “and.” Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address uses asyndeton in “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” The device strips away the usual connective tissue so that each element strikes the ear with equal weight. It can suggest urgency, abundance, or the relentless accumulation of detail.

Asyndeton is the opposite of polysyndeton, which multiplies conjunctions for a different rhythmic effect. Both are deviations from ordinary syntax, and both call attention to themselves. When the omission feels natural and purposeful, the prose or verse gains momentum; when it feels merely telegraphic, the effect is lost.

Words or clauses stacked without the expected “and” or “or” form an asyndeton.