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 movie’s metaphors are mixed; its sense of purpose is poetic and assured.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Champollion resisted the idea of hieroglyphs as pictorial metaphors.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
