Word
metaphor
US/ˈmɛtəfɔɹ/
UK/mˈɛtəfˌɔː/
Definitions
01figure of speech
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a way of describing something by saying it is something else to show they share a quality.
n. a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn't literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.
Español:metáfora
“The teacher used the metaphor of a 'rollercoaster' to describe the character's emotions.”
“The author employs the metaphor of a decaying garden to represent the moral decline of the family over several generations.”
Pitfall
The poet used a metaphor like a rose.
The poet used a metaphor: 'the world is a rose'.
A metaphor states that something IS something else; if you use 'like' or 'as', it is a simile, not a metaphor.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02computing interface
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. the use of familiar objects to represent digital tasks, like using a 'folder' icon for files.
n. the application of a conceptual framework from the physical world to a digital interface to improve user intuition.
“The 'desktop' metaphor makes it easy for new users to understand how to organize their computer files.”
“Early operating systems relied heavily on the office metaphor, using icons for trash cans, folders, and filing cabinets to guide user interaction.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “metaphor” in context.
Verb
01. employ a metaphor
“Politicians often employ metaphors to make complex ideas easier to understand.”
verb + noun
02. extend a metaphor
“She extended the metaphor of the journey throughout the entire poem.”
verb + noun
03. use a metaphor
“The author uses a metaphor to describe the character's internal struggle.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. apt metaphor
“Calling the internet a 'digital highway' was an apt metaphor for the early 90s.”
adj + noun
05. extended metaphor
“The novel is built around an extended metaphor comparing the house to a living organism.”
adj + noun
06. mixed metaphor
“He accidentally used a mixed metaphor when he said we should 'hit the ground running with all guns blazing'.”
adj + noun
Preposition
07. as a metaphor
“The broken clock serves as a metaphor for the protagonist's wasted time.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“It is true, as the Ukrainian poet Halyna Kruk said in 2022, that “no metaphors work against a man with a machine gun … no poetry can save you from a tank”.” “It’s been stalled on Steam early access for years and has probably been abandoned, which I feel is a nice metaphor for this whole sub-genre.” Etymology
From Middle French métaphore, from Latin metaphora, from Ancient Greek μεταφορά (metaphorá), from μεταφέρω (metaphérō, “I transfer, apply”), from μετά (metá, “with, across, after”) + φέρω (phérō, “I bear, carry”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/metaphor
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0