What Is a Simile? 

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words “like,” “as,” or “than” to create imagery and make connections between unlike concepts. Similes are a poetic device in writing and speech to draw vivid comparisons.

Examples: Similes

• That baby is as cute as a button.
• The boxer was as strong as an ox.
• After the storm, the town was quiet as a mouse.
• She’s brilliant, sharp as a tack.
• The ballerina danced lightly as a feather.

What is a simile?

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words “like,” “as,” or “than.” It draws an explicit parallel between the two concepts to vividly illustrate a particular characteristic. 

Rather than directly stating a quality, similes employ descriptive metaphorical language to show the intended idea through comparison to something more familiar or tangible. This rhetorical technique allows the expression of ideas in a more evocative and imaginative way.

Similes employing “like,” “as,” or “than” are figurative devices prevalent in creative writing, oratory, marketing, and casual conversation. Their purpose is to paint vibrant imagery by drawing unanticipated parallels between two distinctly different concepts or objects. However, similes are generally discouraged in formal academic prose due to their literary nature.

Not every instance of “like,” “as,” or “than” constitutes a simile. A simile necessarily compares two dissimilar entities metaphorically. But these words can also be used to make literal comparisons between like things or objects of the same category.

Examples

You look like your father. (Literal comparison)

You look like a million bucks. (Figurative simile)

Simile vs. metaphor

Similes and metaphors are figurative language devices that compare two dissimilar concepts or entities. However, they differ in their approach:

A simile makes an explicit comparison using connecting words like “like,” “as,” or “than” (e.g. “Her hair shone like gold”). 

In contrast, a metaphor implicitly compares by directly stating that one thing is the other thing rather than just sharing similarities (e.g., “Her hair was spun gold”). 

While similes openly equate aspects of the two subjects, metaphors create implicit parallels without using comparative terms like “like” or “as.” Instead, metaphors rely on verbs like “to be” to emphatically posit the unconventional equation of the two concepts (e.g. “She is a shining star” rather than “She shines like a star”). This allows metaphors to impart symbolic meaning more powerfully.

Examples: Simile vs. metaphor

• Mrs. Kennedy’s eyes sparkled like diamonds. (Simile)
• Mrs. Kennedy’s eyes were diamonds. (Metaphor)
• The moon hung in the sky like a lantern. (Simile)
• The moon was a lantern. (Metaphor)

Simile vs. analogy

Similes and analogies are comparative figurative language devices, but their structure and purpose differ. 

A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to make a direct comparison between two different things based on a shared quality or trait, as in “Her hair was as bright as the sun.” 

On the other hand, an analogy illustrates a relationship between two different situations or concepts by asserting that they are similar in relativity, often following the form “A is to B as C is to D.” 

For example, “A mind is to a person as a sail is to a ship” compares the relationship between a mind and person to the relationship between a sail and ship. While similes aim to create vivid imagery and symbolic resonance through figurative likening, analogies strive to explain an abstract concept by mapping its relations to a different, potentially more familiar domain.  

Abstraction analogies

Abstraction analogies, also known as shared abstraction analogies, compare an abstract concept or idea to a more concrete, familiar concept or situation. The purpose is to help explain and illustrate the abstract idea by relating it to something more tangible with similar characteristics or relationships.

Examples: Shared abstraction analogies

• Friendship is like a garden; it requires care and nourishment to grow.
• Time is like a river; it flows constantly and cannot be stopped.
• Knowledge is like a tree; it grows stronger with deep roots and branching out.
• A company is like a human body; it requires all parts to function properly to be healthy.

Common similes

Here are some common similes:

Simile	Meaning
As brave as a lion	Extremely courageous or fearless
As cold as ice	Extremely cold, lacking warmth or emotion
As light as a feather	Extremely light in weight
As blind as a bat	Unable to see or perceive something clearly
As white as snow	Perfectly white or pure in color

Simile and metaphor worksheet

The worksheet below allows you to assess your ability to differentiate between similes and metaphors by indicating whether each given sentence utilizes a simile or a metaphor as a figurative comparison.

Practice Questions

1. Her thoughts were a whirlwind.

2. His spirit was as free as a bird soaring through the sky.

3. She is a shining star.

4. The classroom was like a prison.

5. Life is a roller coaster ride.

6. Her hair was silk.

7. The man was as sly as a fox.

8. The team was a well-oiled machine.

Answers and Explanations

Practice Questions	Answers and Explanations
1. Her thoughts were a whirlwind.	Metaphor. This directly compares her thoughts to a whirlwind without using “like” or “as.”
2. His spirit was as free as a bird soaring through the sky.	Simile. This uses “as…as” to compare his spirit to a free bird.
3. She is a shining star.	Metaphor. It states that she metaphorically is a shining star.
4. The classroom was like a prison.	Simile. It uses “like” to compare the classroom to a prison.
5. Life is a roller coaster ride.	Metaphor. It compares life directly to a roller coaster ride.
6. Her hair was silk.	Metaphor. It states that her hair metaphorically is silk.
7. The man was as sly as a fox.	Simile. It uses “as…as” to liken the man to a sly fox.
8. The team was a well-oiled machine.	Metaphor. It portrays the team metaphorically as a well-functioning machine.