metaphor

noun

met·a·phor ˈme-tə-ˌfȯr

also -fər

: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in drowning in money)

broadly : figurative language compare simile

: an object, activity, or idea treated as a metaphor : symbol sense 2

metaphoric

ˌme-tə-ˈfȯr-ik

-ˈfär-

adjective

or metaphorical

ˌme-tə-ˈfȯr-i-kəl

-ˈfär-

Did you know?

What is metaphor?

"You're a peach!" We've all heard the expression, and it's a good example of what we call metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase denoting one kind of object or action is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them: the person being addressed in "you're a peach" is being equated with a peach, with the suggestion being that the person is pleasing or delightful in the way that a peach is pleasing and delightful. A metaphor is an implied comparison, as in "the silk of the singer's voice," in contrast to the explicit comparison of the simile, which uses like or as, as in "a voice smooth like silk."

When we use metaphor, we make a leap beyond rational, ho-hum comparison to an identification or fusion of two objects, resulting in a new entity that has characteristics of both: the voice isn't like silk; it is silk. Many critics regard the making of metaphors as a system of thought antedating or bypassing logic. Metaphor is the fundamental language of poetry, although it is common on all levels and in all kinds of language.

Lots of common words we use every day were originally vivid images, although they exist now as dead metaphors whose original aptness has been lost. The word daisy, for example, comes from an Old English word meaning "day's eye." The ray-like appearance of the daisy, which opens and closes with the sun, is reminiscent of an eye that opens in the morning and closes at night. The expression time flies is also metaphorical, with time being identified with a bird.

In poetry a metaphor may perform varied functions, from noting simple similarity between things to evoking a broad set of associations; it may exist as a minor element, or it may be the central concept and controlling image of the poem. The metaphor of an iron horse for a train, for example, is the elaborate central concept of one of Emily Dickinson's poems—though neither iron horse nor train appears in the poem, the first and final stanzas of which are:

I like to see it lap the Miles—

And lick the Valleys up—

And stop to feed itself at Tanks—

And then—prodigious step

…

And neigh like Boanerges—

Then—prompter than a Star

Stop—docile and omnipotent

At it's own stable door—

A mixed metaphor is the linking of two or more elements that don't go together logically. It happens when the writer or speaker isn't being sensitive to the literal meaning of the words or to the falseness of the comparison being used. A mixed metaphor is often two metaphors sloppily mashed together as in, "the ball is in the court of public opinion," which joins "the ball is in your court" to "the court of public opinion."

A mixed metaphor may also be used with great effectiveness, however, as in Hamlet's speech:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

For strictly correct completion of the metaphor, sea should be replaced by a word like host. By using "sea of troubles," however, Shakespeare evokes the overwhelming nature of Hamlet's troubles.

Did you know?

Simile vs. Metaphor

Many people have trouble distinguishing between simile and metaphor. A glance at their Latin and Greek roots offers a simple way of telling these two closely-related figures of speech apart. Simile comes from the Latin word similis (meaning “similar, like”), which seems fitting, since the comparison indicated by a simile will typically contain the words as or like. Metaphor, on the other hand, comes from the Greek word metapherein (“to transfer”), which is also fitting, since a metaphor is used in place of something. “My love is like a red, red rose” is a simile, and “love is a rose” is a metaphor.

Example Sentences

You see, menudo is our chicken soup for the body and soul, our metaphor for bread-and-butter issues. —

Joe Rodriguez, San Jose Mercury News, 20 May 2003

The hapless Humpty Dumpty often crops up as a metaphor for the second law of thermodynamics. —

Charles Day, Physics Today, December 2002

Ben Strong, senior, football player, leader of the prayer group, the boy whose very name is a metaphor, has been besieged by the media for interviews. —

Jayne Anne Phillips, Harper's, November 1998

The number of songs containing ambiguous metaphors and intriguing but obscure symbolism could be extended indefinitely. Still, … there are hollers, work songs, field songs, and blues whose meaning is really not subject to a great deal of interpretation. —

Lawrence W. Levine, "The Concept of the New Negro," 1971, in The Unpredictable Past, 1993

“He was drowning in paperwork” is a metaphor in which having to deal with a lot of paperwork is being compared to drowning in an ocean of water. Her poems include many imaginative metaphors. a poet admired for her use of metaphor See More

Recent Examples on the Web Evan tells us [29:10] that Corey Seager has never looked happier as a Ranger, using an elephant metaphor in the process and prompting Kevin to ask if Seager’s behind all the shenanigans out at the Dallas Zoo. —

Dallas News, 1 Feb. 2023 Stutz uses a beautiful metaphor for the role other people play in our lives and wellbeing - worth watching the movie for. —

Nell Derick Debevoise, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2023 In that sense, to use Mr. Furman’s metaphor, Mr. Biden’s actions could be less like pouring gasoline — which causes flames to flare up — and more like adding another log when the fire is beginning to burn down, keeping the heat steady. —

Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2022 The story doubles as a metaphor for colonization and the fight Indigenous tribes have been facing in America for centuries. —

Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 1 Feb. 2023 Simon describes Savor the Avenue as a metaphor for the cohesiveness and camaraderie of independent restaurateurs who have driven the renaissance of downtown Delray Beach. —

Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2023 Business journalists, searching for a compelling theme to liven up dry company stories, would seize on the CEO’s journey as a metaphor for the enterprise’s hopes, dreams and values. —

Adrian Dearnell, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2023 The Doomsday Clock was created to convey the proximity of catastrophic threats to humanity, serving as a metaphor for public and world leaders, rather than a predictive tool. —

Denise Chow, NBC News, 24 Jan. 2023 Vampirism has been treated as a metaphor for more prosaic addictions in movies before. —

Dennis Harvey, Variety, 24 Jan. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'metaphor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English methaphor, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French metaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Greek, from metapherein to transfer, from meta- + pherein to bear — more at bear

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of metaphor was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Articles Related to metaphor

What is figurative language?

Paint a picture with words

‘Metaphor’ vs. ‘Simile’

Shall we compare thee to a summer’s day? Yes, two different ways!

Words That Began as Metaphors

Word Matters, Episode 73

Cite this Entry

Style

“Metaphor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphor. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

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Kids Definition

metaphor

noun

met·a·phor ˈmet-ə-ˌfȯ(ə)r

also -fər

: a figure of speech in which a word or phrase meaning one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a similarity between them (as in the ship plows the sea) compare simile

metaphoric

ˌmet-ə-ˈfȯr-ik

-ˈfär-

adjective

or metaphorical

ˌmet-ə-ˈfȯr-i-kəl

-ˈfär-

metaphorically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb