All words

simile

Meaning

A figure of speech in which two dissimilar things are presented as being alike, often for the purpose of creating a more vivid description or emphasizing a particular quality, through the use of connective words such as 'like' or 'as'.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

He felt as lost as a single sock in the laundry. This feeling, this "simile," made his heart sink, comparing his alone-ness to something small and forgotten.

The old tractor sputtered, its engine groaning, as the farmer tried to get it started. It sounded like a dying animal. This kind of comparison, using "like" to show how two different things are similar, helps us understand how bad it sounded.

The old man's sigh was deep, a heavy sound that felt like stones dropping into a well. He watched the dust motes dance in the single sunbeam, each one a tiny problem, flitting aimlessly. It was a simile, comparing that feeling of being overwhelmed to something tangible and sinking.

My dog's snoring sounds like a chainsaw wrestling a herd of grumpy badgers. It's a simile, of course, where we compare two different things with "like" or "as" to make it funnier. My dog is so loud, it's like the world's worst alarm clock, but way smellier.

The child's fear was a dark shadow, growing with every creak of the house. It felt as big as a monster, a simile comparing something invisible to something huge and scary to show just how terrified she was.

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

Her joy was as bright as the sun. She explained that this kind of comparison, using "as" to link two different things for a stronger image, is called a simile. It helps you see how happy she felt.

The toddler’s wail was loud, like a siren in the quiet library. It ripped through the hushed atmosphere. This piercing sound, a simile comparing the child’s distress to an emergency vehicle's blare, made everyone jump.

The old man's worry was a knot in his stomach, tight as a sailor's reef knot. He watched the tiny, sputtering drone, its flight path erratic like a panicked moth, hoping it wouldn't crash his carefully constructed, solar-powered algae farm.

My cat's snoring sounds like a tiny, enraged chainsaw. This vivid comparison, using "like" to show how dissimilar things are alike, paints a picture of utter chaos from a creature usually snoozing peacefully. It's as if a mini lumberjack convention is happening in her whiskers.

My pet rock, Bartholomew, is as exciting as a beige sock lost in a laundromat. He sits there, utterly motionless, a truly profound example of a simile. Bartholomew's stillness is like a deeply unimpressed badger observing a poorly choreographed ballet.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

Her anger flared, hot and sudden, like a wildfire. This comparison, using "like" to link two dissimilar things—her rage and a burning blaze—is a simile. It paints a picture of uncontrolled ferocity, making the intensity of her emotion palpable and impossible to ignore.

His disappointment was a heavy cloak. He felt as useless as a broken tool. This kind of comparison, using "as" to link two unlike things, helps paint a clearer, more emotional picture of his despair.

The old prospector's cough rattled his chest, a sound like rocks grinding together deep in the earth, a desperate simile for his failing health. He clutched his worn canteen, hoping the brackish water was as potent as the rumors suggested, ready for anything.

The sheer weight of his betrayal pressed down, a burden as heavy as a collapsed star. It felt like a betrayal of every trust, a stark contrast to the loyalty he’d once promised. This startling comparison, using "as," is a simile, making the pain feel immense.

The old mechanic's hands, gnarled as ancient roots, moved with a surprising delicacy over the intricate clockwork. His focused gaze, sharp as a needle, assessed the minute components. He understood that such a precise simile could convey the delicate balance required to mend this delicate mechanism.

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

Her fear was palpable, a palpable dread that clung to her as tightly as a shadow, like a second skin. This comparison, this simile, conveyed her suffocating terror far better than any simple adjective, the connective "as" anchoring the intensity of her despair.

His anger flared, a sudden conflagration, his voice raspy as a badger's growl. This comparison, a simile, illuminates the raw, unrefined nature of his fury, a stark contrast to his usual placid demeanor.

The artisan's frustration grew, his patience fraying like an aged tapestry. He needed to convey his exasperation, so he described his current predicament as being akin to attempting to sculpt granite with a damp sponge, a vivid simile illustrating the insurmountable difficulty of his task.

The ancient cog vibrated, its weary teeth grinding against the worn brass like a phantom limb aching. This simile, comparing the metal's protest to an internal torment, conveyed the machine's deep-seated exhaustion; its function, once robust, now seemed like a fading memory struggling against inevitable decay.

The old chronometer's ticking was as incessant as a trapped fly, each beat a tiny hammerblow against my frayed nerves. This simile, comparing the mechanical noise to the desperate buzzing, underscored the suffocating anxiety that permeated the subterranean research station.

Difficulty

Normal — Everyday words worth reinforcing.

Appears in

Play word games with simile Take the 2 minute vocabulary size test