simile
noun
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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
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.
What do you think of the author's use of simile?
Nino Letteriello, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 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
See All Example Sentences for simile
Cite this Entry
“Simile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simile. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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simile
noun
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