simile

noun

sim·​i·​le ˈsi-mə-(ˌ)lē 

: a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by like or as (as in cheeks like roses) compare metaphor

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Simile vs. Metaphor

Simile and metaphor are both figures of speech used to make comparisons. A glance at their Latin and Greek roots offers a simple way of telling them apart. Simile comes from the Latin word similis, meaning “similar, like,” which is fitting since the comparison indicated by a simile will usually contain the words as or like. Metaphor, on the other hand, comes from the Greek word metapherein, meaning “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.

Examples of simile in a Sentence

But Dickens finds the unexpected detail, the vivid simile. Think of Joe Gargery in Great Expectations, "with eyes of such a very undecided blue that they seemed to have somehow got mixed with their own whites." Or, in David Copperfield, Dora's cousin "in the Life-Guards, with such long legs that he looked like the afternoon shadow of somebody else." —James Wood, New Republic, 14 Dec. 1998

After the internship year, doctors assume greater responsibility for directing patient care. Dr. Shockcor at West Virginia offered a homely simile: "It's like working in a factory, putting doors on cars. I'm now responsible that the doors get put on right, whereas as an intern I had to make sure I had a door in my hands and didn't miss a car going by." —Michael Harwood, New York Times Magazine, 3 June1984

“She's as fierce as a tiger” is a simile, but “She's a tiger when she's angry” is a metaphor.

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Recent Examples on the Web

What’s the difference between a simile and a metaphor? —Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025

No metaphors or similes or hyperbolic language needed here – your kids are next. —Rob Gagnon, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2025

Her father was a scientist and worked for NASA, so her work, including The Body’s Question and Life on Mars, is infused with the cosmos and space and all these metaphors and similes tied to the most mysterious places in the universe. —Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2025

Fight analyst Dan Hardy used an interesting simile to explain the key difference between the two title fighters in Saturday night's main event at UFC 312 as middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis puts his title on the line against former champion Sean Strickland. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Latin, "image, likeness, comparison," noun derivative from neuter of similis "having characteristics in common, like" — more at similar

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing simile

• epic simile

Rhymes for simile

• facsimile

Kids Definition

simile

noun

sim·​i·​le ˈsim-ə-(ˌ)lē 

: a figure of speech in which things different in kind or quality are compared by the use of the word like or as (as in eyes like stars) compare metaphor