simile

American  

[sim-uh-lee] / ˈsɪm ə li /

noun

1. a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared, as in “she is like a rose.”

2. an instance of such a figure of speech or a use of words exemplifying it.

---

simile British  

/ ˈsɪmɪlɪ /

noun

1. a figure of speech that expresses the resemblance of one thing to another of a different category, usually introduced by as or like Compare metaphor

---

simile Cultural  

1. A common figure of speech that explicitly compares two things usually considered different. Most similes are introduced by like or as: “The realization hit me like a bucket of cold water.” (Compare metaphor.)

---

Usage

What is a simile? A simile is a figure of speech in which two unrelated things are compared to each other, as in Jose was as clever as a fox. Similes compare two things that seemingly have nothing to do with each other but actually share a trait or characteristic, at least according to the user of the simile. In the simile above, Jose is implied to be wily or sly just like a fox that steals chickens from farmers. Similes often use like or as in the comparison, as in Tom’s insults cut like a knife. A simile is very similar to a metaphor, another figure of speech. A metaphor also compares two seemingly unrelated things but, unlike a simile, a metaphor says that something is something else. Often, the difference between a metaphor and simile is a single word. Her life was like an open book is a simile, while Her life was an open book is a metaphor. Similes and metaphors can be used to accomplish the same thing, and it is ultimately up to the writer or speaker which one they’d prefer to use.

Discover More

Some similes, such as “sleeping like a log,” have become clichés.

Etymology

Origin of simile

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin: “image, likeness, comparison,” noun use of neuter of similis similar

Explanation

Use the noun simile when describing a comparison between two fundamentally different things, such as: "His voice was smooth, like butter in a warm pan." A simile (pronounced SIM-uh-lee) is a comparison that usually uses the words like or as: "Me without a mic is like a beat without a snare," rapped Lauryn Hill in the song "How Many Mics." A simile is different from a metaphor, in which the comparison is less explicit, as in Shakespeare's line "All the world's a stage."

Example Sentences

The simile is arresting: modern European proponents of welfare-state liberalism likened to a dying class of 19th-century hereditary nobles, confident in their rightness and desperate to rest.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

“The simile with the DNA is more a metaphor but in some way, there exists the connection as mentioned for solving paths.”

From Salon • Nov. 13, 2024

Later, when asked about his evolution as a coach, Harbaugh described himself as open to change and used a mall-entrance simile to make his point.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2024

Mario Cuomo over the grammatical difference between a simile and metaphor.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 3, 2024

People were more often-he searched for a simile, found one in his work-torches, blazing away until they whiffed out.

From "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury