metaphor
noun
a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.”
metaphors
-
pluralof metaphor.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There are metaphors, and there are metaphors, but this one is just too on the nose.
From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026
"The proliferation of those struck me," Vara told Front Row, adding that the story also had a lot of metaphors, also prevalent in writing generated by AI.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Ms. Lee almost never uses figurative language—similes, metaphors, symbolism or anything that gives prose layering and subtext.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
“The Whale” is subtler on stage than it is on screen; its metaphors work better in the theater’s buoyant atmosphere for which they were conceived.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
For Lutheran Pietists like Bach, illuminating the Gospel was paramount, as were metaphors of light and transparency.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
