See it in language
Examples of Simile
The lake shone like a sheet of glass.
Instructional example
Her question hung in the room like smoke.
Instructional example
The lingering effect of the question is compared to smoke using like.
After the race, his legs felt as heavy as wet sand.
Instructional example
The weight and fatigue in his legs are compared to wet sand using as.
Show more examples
"Her smile was like sunshine on a rainy day."
— This simile from Langston Hughes' poem "Mother to Son" compares a mother's smile to sunshine to convey warmth and comfort.
"The room was as quiet as a tomb."
— This simile compares the silence in a room to that of a tomb, emphasizing the stillness and emptiness.
"The sea was like a vast sheet of glass."
— This simile from Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" compares the calmness of the sea to a smooth, unbroken sheet of glass.
"She sings like an angel."
— This simile compares the beauty and purity of someone's voice to that of an angel, emphasizing the emotional impact of their singing.
"He fought like a lion."
— This simile from Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" compares the bravery and strength of a character in battle to that of a lion, emphasizing his courage and ferocity.
Read like an editor
How to recognize it
- Find an explicit comparison signal such as like or as.
- Identify the two unlike things being compared.
- Confirm that the comparison is figurative rather than a statement of preference, role, or literal similarity.
Meaning and effect
Why writers use Simile
- Clarify meaning
- An explicit comparison can make a difficult idea easier to grasp.
- Create vivid comparison
- A simile gives an unfamiliar or abstract quality a concrete point of comparison.
- Develop tone
- The chosen comparison can make a subject seem tender, comic, threatening, or otherwise charged.
Common confusion
Simile vs. Metaphor
Both compare unlike things figuratively, but they signal the comparison differently.
Simile
Signals the comparison explicitly, often with like or as.
“The city is like a furnace.”
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a simile and a metaphor?
A simile explicitly signals its comparison, often with like or as; a metaphor states or implies the comparison directly.
Does the word like always indicate a simile?
No. Like can express preference, resemblance, quotation, or other relationships without making a figurative comparison.