Word
simile
Phoneticssim·i·le
UK/sˈɪmɪlˌi/
Definitions
01rhetorical comparison
n. a phrase that compares one thing to another using 'like' or 'as' to make a description more vivid.
n. a figure of speech in which one thing is explicitly compared to another, typically using the particles 'like' or 'as' to create a vivid image.
“The phrase 'as brave as a lion' is a common simile used to describe courage.”
“The author employs a striking simile, comparing the character's sudden realization to a flash of lightning in a dark forest.”
Academic
Usage
Commonly used in literary analysis and creative writing to distinguish from metaphors.
Pitfall
The poet used a simile to say his love was a red rose.
The poet used a metaphor to say his love was a red rose.
A simile must use 'like' or 'as' (e.g., 'like a red rose'). If you say one thing IS another, it is a metaphor.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse this with 'metaphor'; remind them that a simile is a 'similar' comparison that uses 'like' or 'as'.
Synonyms
02likeness or resemblance
n. the quality of being similar to something else.
n. the state or quality of being similar; a resemblance or likeness between two entities.
“There was a strange simile between the two brothers, though they were not twins.”
“The philosopher argued that there was a fundamental simile between the structure of the atom and the solar system.”
Formal · Literary
Usage
Often used in abstract or philosophical contexts regarding the nature of two things.
Teaching tip
This sense is rare in modern speech; students will mostly encounter it in older literature or formal academic essays.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin simile (“comparison, likeness, parallel”) (first attested 1393), originally from simile, neuter form of similis (“like, similar, resembling”). Compare English similar.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/simile