Similes and metaphors are figures of speech that are used to make comparisons. Are they the same? Find out how a simile differs from a metaphor in this article.
Table of Contents
- Simile vs Metaphor – What’s the Difference?
- Examples of Similes
- Examples of Metaphors
- Check Your Understanding of Similes and Metaphors
- Frequently Asked Questions on the Difference between Similes and Metaphors
Simile vs Metaphor – What’s the Difference?
Go through the following table to understand how a simile differs from a metaphor.
|
Simile |
Metaphor |
|---|---|
|
A simile is used to make a direct comparison. |
A metaphor is a comparison that can be direct, implied, visual or extended. |
|
The comparison is made with the use of words ‘like’ or ‘as’. |
The comparison is made without the use of any particular words. |
|
For example, Nitish is like a chameleon. |
For example, Nitish is a chameleon. |
Examples of Similes
- The manager seems to be as busy as a bee.
- Your beard looks like cotton candy.
- Are you as tall as your brother?
- There is no one as sweet as you.
- Have you seen her running? She runs like a horse.
Examples of Metaphors
- Susan is the Shakespeare of our class.
- My brother is a monkey.
- The world is a stage.
- Rikitha was a hero.
- The English language is the window to the world.
Check Your Understanding of Similes and Metaphors
Read through the following sentences and identify if they are similes or metaphors.
1. You are my alarm clock.
2. We always fight like cats and dogs; we cannot live without each other either.
3. Your skin looks like glass.
4. Riya’s father and mother walking her down the aisle was the icing on the cake.
5. Drea is an early bird.
6. The teacher was like a lighthouse to her students.
7. Music is food to my soul.
8. Parvin is like a lion on the football field; he establishes his territory.
9. The officers at the bank are as slow as sloths.
10. The smoke from the forest fire was spread like a blanket.
Here are the answers. Check to see if you identified the similes and metaphors correctly.
1. You are my alarm clock. – Metaphor
2. We always fight like cats and dogs; we cannot live without each other either. – Simile
3. Your skin looks like glass. – Simile
4. Riya’s father and mother walking her down the aisle was the icing on the cake. – Metaphor
5. Drea is an early bird. – Metaphor
6. The teacher was like a lighthouse to her students. – Simile
7. Music is food to my soul. – Metaphor
8. Parvin is like a lion on the football field; he establishes his territory. – Simile
9. The officers at the bank are as slow as sloths. – Simile
10. The smoke from the forest fire was spread like a blanket. – Simile
Frequently Asked Questions on the Difference between Similes and Metaphors
What is a simile?
A simile is a figure of speech that compares the similar qualities of two things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’.
What is a metaphor?
A metaphor is a comparison in which two unlike things are compared without the use of any particular word.
What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor?
The main difference between a simile and a metaphor is that a simile is a direct comparison, while a metaphor is a comparison of things that are unlike. Another difference is that a simile uses words such as ‘like’ or ‘as’ to make the comparison, whereas a metaphor does not.
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