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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of metaphor
As a metaphor for the decline of a decades-old hotel of this size, the dish is both blunt and poetic.
—
Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Solis is constantly reaching for new heights — an apt metaphor for his career.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
But Jaglom isn’t using her story as a microcosm, or as a metaphor for Hollywood at large.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2025
That baby grand has become a beautiful metaphor of encouragement, support, and the need to keep going.
—Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for metaphor
Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
Solis is constantly reaching for new heights — an apt metaphor for his career.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
But Jaglom isn’t using her story as a microcosm, or as a metaphor for Hollywood at large.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2025
That baby grand has become a beautiful metaphor of encouragement, support, and the need to keep going.
—Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for metaphor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metaphor
analogy
Noun
-
When the United States joined NATO in 1949, American policymakers pointed to the Rio Pact as a precedent and drew analogies between the alliance’s founding document, the North Atlantic Treaty, and the Monroe Doctrine.—
JENNIFER KAVANAGH,
Foreign Affairs,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Where words divide, the Saint Laurent aesthetic creates space to breathe and invent new analogies.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share