What is a simile?
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Start free in the Edit studio- A simile compares two things using "like" or "as".
- The comparison is explicit, not implied.
- It differs from a metaphor, which states equivalence directly.
- Fresh similes are vivid; familiar ones become clichés.
- Similes can clarify, intensify, or surprise.
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things explicitly using "like" or "as" — "brave as a lion," "she moved like water." It differs from a metaphor, which asserts that one thing is another; a simile keeps the comparison overt. Similes clarify, intensify, or surprise by likening something to a familiar or unexpected image. As with metaphors, fresh similes are vivid and illuminating, while overused ones ("cold as ice") become clichés that dull the prose.
Chapter i·Why it matters
The simile is a fundamental figurative tool, and understanding it — especially its distinction from metaphor — is basic to using comparison effectively. Knowing when a simile clarifies or surprises, and when it has become a tired cliché, helps writers craft vivid, precise images. Similes are everywhere in good prose, and using them freshly rather than reaching for familiar ones is a key part of developing an evocative, original style.
Chapter ii·What to include
- An explicit comparison with "like" or "as".
- The contrast with metaphor.
- Fresh, vivid comparisons.
- Clichéd similes to avoid.
- Uses: clarify, intensify, surprise.
- Precision in the comparison.
Chapter iii·Example
A writer describes a tense silence as "taut as a held breath" — a fresh simile that uses "as" to make the comparison explicit and intensifies the moment. It is vivid and precise, where a familiar simile like "quiet as a mouse" would have added nothing. The unexpected comparison illuminates the scene.
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Chapter iv·Related questions