as in analogy
an elaborate or fanciful way of expressing something
"it's raining cats and dogs" is just a colorful metaphor and not a meteorological announcement
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Recent Examples of metaphor
Basketball references have been a large part of his music throughout his career — and this latest chapter proves Cole’s love for the game has never just been a metaphor.
—
Ryan Brennan
april 3, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Screenwriter Will Tracy has said that the title could be read as a metaphor to suggest that new life might arise from the ashes of a corrupt entity.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
Their transformation through pickling—turning a simple, earthy root into a tangy, vibrant dish—was often seen as a metaphor for renewal and the endurance of the Jewish people through adversity.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
In the work, the garden became both a physical space and a metaphor.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for metaphor
Ryan Brennan
april 3, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Screenwriter Will Tracy has said that the title could be read as a metaphor to suggest that new life might arise from the ashes of a corrupt entity.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026
Their transformation through pickling—turning a simple, earthy root into a tangy, vibrant dish—was often seen as a metaphor for renewal and the endurance of the Jewish people through adversity.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
In the work, the garden became both a physical space and a metaphor.
—Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for metaphor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metaphor
analogy
Noun
-
This analogy came to life during the flyby, as the astronauts pointed out shades of browns and blues that can help reveal the mineral composition of a feature and its age, NASA said.—
Ava Berger,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The Manhattan Project analogy applied to employee recruitment, too.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Cite this Entry
“Metaphor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/metaphor. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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