simile
The poet used a simile to describe the night as 'dark as ink'.
This sentence explicitly names the literary device and shows how it compares two unlike things using 'as' or 'like'.
A figure of speech that directly compares two different things using the words 'like' or 'as'.
Her voice was like honey dripping from a spoon.
This simile compares the sweetness and smoothness of honey to the quality of her voice.
The soldier stood still as a statue.
This simile compares the soldier's stillness to the immobility of a statue.
Similes are a type of figurative language used to create vivid imagery or emphasize a point. They are distinct from metaphors, which make direct comparisons without using 'like' or 'as'.
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Pro Tip
Identify similes in text
Look for the words 'like' or 'as' in a sentence. If the sentence compares two different things using these words, it is likely a simile. For example, 'The baby’s skin was soft as silk.'
Gold Rule
Simile vs. Metaphor
A simile uses 'like' or 'as' to compare two things ('Her eyes sparkled like diamonds'). A metaphor makes a direct comparison without these words ('Her eyes were diamonds').
Word Origin
From Latin *similis* meaning 'like' or 'similar', via Old French *simile* and directly into English in the 14th century. The word entered English through the Latin *simile* (neuter singular of *similis*), used in rhetoric to denote a comparison.
Usage Notes
Similes are commonly used in poetry, literature, and everyday speech to make descriptions more engaging and relatable. They should not be confused with metaphors, which imply a direct equivalence rather than a comparison using 'like' or 'as'. For example, 'Time is a thief' is a metaphor, while 'Time flies like an arrow' is a simile.