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
Applied to a police chase, the metaphor means the officers who initiated the pursuit are responsible for its results.
—
Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
The shriek of mourning is not a metaphor but an ongoing condition the medium makes material.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
The immersive display at the Silos includes a bespoke soundtrack and the fragrance Bois d’Encens, guiding visitors through a sensory journey centered on light as a metaphor for creativity and timeless elegance.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
Others hide in the cloud of metaphor, emerging only when everybody’s got their clothes back on.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for metaphor
Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
The shriek of mourning is not a metaphor but an ongoing condition the medium makes material.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
The immersive display at the Silos includes a bespoke soundtrack and the fragrance Bois d’Encens, guiding visitors through a sensory journey centered on light as a metaphor for creativity and timeless elegance.
—Photovogue, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026
Others hide in the cloud of metaphor, emerging only when everybody’s got their clothes back on.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for metaphor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metaphor
analogy
Noun
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For an analogy, look back on the introduction of search engines, which led to a massive cut in the time needed to do research and get answers.—
Peter Cappelli,
Fortune,
28 Feb. 2026
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Arteta has used the analogy that the positional grouping of injuries is like ‘buying tickets’ for more fitness problems down the line, an image that has proven to be apt across almost every area of his squad.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 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 10 Mar. 2026.
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