A metaphor, in its simplest sense, says one thing is another:
- Jealousy is a double-edged sword.
- Teenage girls are the wildflowers of American shopping malls.
A simile compares one thing with another dissimilar thing, usually employing the word “like” or “as”:
- Her apartment was as dirty as a warehouse coffee pot.
- The nuns’ tears flowed like the Mississippi after a three-day storm.
An analogy uses one comparison to illustrate another. It often takes the A is to B as C is to D form.
- Reading is to the mind, like exercise is to the body.
- What soap is to the skin, laughter is to the soul.
— A Million Metaphors will forever be a work in progress. See an error or an omission? Please use the “Make a Suggestion” links. —
— If you have a favorite metaphor, one you gave birth to or not, please add it. —
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