as in metaphors
grammar
a phrase that uses the words like or as to describe someone or something by comparing it with someone or something else that is similar
"She's as fierce as a tiger" is a simile, but "She's a tiger when she's angry" is a metaphor.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for similes
metaphors
Noun
-
Symbols and metaphors are the most astonishing of these scars.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026 -
Bird and visitors are, for Urbano, ideal metaphors for the citizens of Utopia, a place beyond reach yet accessible through the uchronic resources of poetry and symbol.—
Javier Montes,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Similes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/similes. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
