Rid Your Confusion Between Similes and Metaphors With Examples

The examples of similes and metaphors are often used by people to sometimes compare or exactly mean some object or person. Understand the difference between the two and take a look at some examples in the following article…

What are similes and metaphors? Is there a difference between the two figures of speech? The answer is, “Yes, there is a noticeable contrast between similes and metaphors.” To understand in plain and simple terms, a simile is any word or phrase used to describe some thing or someone as similar to another. These similarities are often not related to one another. As for the other figure of speech, a metaphor is any word or phrase which states that one thing or person is another.

These similarities are often not related to one another. With this little contradiction in their definitions, let’s take a look at some of their examples. This way, you can get a better idea about what similes and metaphors are. But before that, always remember these main points about similes and metaphors:

Similes constantly make comparisons using the words “like” and “as”.
Metaphors constantly make symbolic and direct comparisons between two objects.
Both similes and metaphors can be used in English language, literature, poetry, and music.

Similes in Poetry

Life’s Pearl of Wisdom

Here and there in oysters fall,
A single grain of sand.
Producing later a lustrous ball,
In a fisher man’s hand… ~ Michael P. Johnson

Moon Poetess

Hands flicker, the smokes hurries
And insignia like ice blows in appearance
So seated and commanding twisting joints.
Powers, so she use and sleep… ~ Ebi Robert

Role Model

A role model is someone
Whom you always want to be.
Someone who gives you hope
When you are down… ~ Kholekile Monakali

Similes in Literature

My love is like a red, red rose, that is newly sprung in June. ~ Robert Burns

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate. ~ Shakespeare

Helen, thy beauty is to me
Like those Nicean barks of yore… ~ Poe

Like a skein of loose silk blown against a wall
She walks by the railing of a path in Kensington Gardens… ~ Ezra Pound

The Mind like to a Shop of Toies I fill,
With fine Conceits, all sorts of Humours sell.
I can the work of Nature imitate;
And change my self into each several shape.
I conquer all, am Master of the field,
I make fare Beauty in Loves Wars to yield. ~ Cavendish

As virtuous men pass mildly away,
and whisper to their souls to go,
whilst some of their sad friends do say,
“Now his breath goes,” and some say, “No”. ~ Donne

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. ~ Shakespeare

Similes for Kids

As friendly as a black lab
As happy as a rat with a gold tooth
As sleepy as a bear
As hard as nails
As tall as a Sequoia tree
As hard as rock
As pink as a flamingo
As high as a kite
As brave as a lion
As hoarse as a crow
As brown as a berry
As hot as a fire cracker
As quiet as a mouse
As hot as hell
As sharp as a razor
As hungry as a bear
As fat as the Pentagon
As hungry as a wolf
As slow as a snail
As innocent as a lamb
As fast as a cheetah
As keen as mustard
As annoying as a pesky bug
As large as life
As silly as a clown
As light as a feather
As hot as the sun
As light as air
As hot as the Sahara Desert
As likely as not
As musical as a hummingbird
As loud as a lion
As fat as a blown up blue balloon
As lowly as a worm
As mad as a hatter
As stubborn as an untrained dog; or as a mule
As mad as a hornet
As loud as my brother who is always screaming
As smart as Albert Einstein
As mad as the march hare
My love is like a red, red rose
As naked as a baby
They fought like cats and dogs
As neat as a pin
He is as funny as a barrel of monkeys
As nutty as a fruitcake
This house is as clean as a whistle
As obstinate as a mule
He is as strong as an ox
As old as dirt
Your explanation is as clear as mud
As old as the hills
Watching the show was like watching grass grow
As pale as death
That is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel
As pale as a ghost
This contract is as solid as the ground
As patient as job
That guy is as nutty as a fruitcake
As plain as day
Don’t just sit there like a bump on a log
As pleased as punch
They are as different as night and day
As poor as a church mouse
She is as thin as a toothpick
As poor as dirt
Last night, I slept like a log
As pretty as a picture
This dress is perfect because it fits like a glove
As proud as a peacock
My love for you is a deep as the ocean
As pure as snow
I’m so thirsty, that my throat is as dry as a bone
As pure as the driven snow
As agile as a monkey
As quick as a wink
As alike as two peas in a pod
As quick as lightning
As modest as a maiden
As quick as silver
As bald as a baby’s backside
As rich as gold
As bald as a badger
As right as rain
As bald as a coot
As round as a barrel
As beautiful as nature
As round as a circle
As big as a boat
As round as a sphere
As big as a bus
As safe as houses
As big as an elephant
As scarce as hen’s teeth
As black as coal
As sensitive as a flower
As blind as a bat
As sharp as a needle
As blind as a mole
As sick as a dog
As bold as brass
As sick as a parrt
As bright as a button
As silent as the dead
As bright as a new pin
As silent as the grave
As bright as day
As silly as a goose
As bright as the sun
As sleepy as a koala
As busy as a beaver
As slippery as an eel
As busy as a bee
As slow as molasses
As busy as a cat on a hot tin roof
As slow as a tortoise
As calm as a millpond
As slow as a turtle
As clear as a bell
As slow as a wet weekend
As clean as a hound’s tooth
As sly as a fox
As clean as a whistle
As smart as an owl
As clear as crystal
As smooth as silk
As cold as ice
As snug as a bug in a rug
As common as dirt
As sober as a judge
As cool as a cucumber
As soft as a baby’s bottom
As crazy as a loon
As solid as a rock
As cunning as a fox
As solid as the ground we stand on
As cute as a baby
As sound as a bell
As cute as a button
As sour as vinegar
As cute as a cupcake
As steady as a rock
As damp as the salty blue ocean
As sticky as jam
As dead as a doornail
As stiff as a board
As dead as the dodo
As still as death
As deaf as a post
As straight as an arrow
As delicate as a flower
As strong as an ox
As dense as a brick
As stubborn as a mule
As different as chalk from cheese
As sturdy as an oak
As drunk as a lord
As sure as death and taxes
As dry as a bone
As sweet as honey
As dry as dust
As tall as a giraffe
As dull as dishwater
As tight as a drum
As easy as ABC
As thick as a brick
As easy as pie
As thin as a rake
As fast as a race car
As thin as a toothpick
As fat as a hippo
As timid as a rabbit
As fat as a pig
As tiny as a grain of sand
As fit as a fiddle
As tough as leather
As flat as a pancake
As tough as nails
As free as a bird
As tough as old boots
As fresh as a daisy
As tricky as a box of monkeys
As funny as a balloon
As welcome as a skunk at a lawn party
As gentle as a lamb
As white as a ghost
As hairy as an ape
As white as a sheet
As happy as a clown
As white as snow
As happy as a lark
As wise as Solomon
As happy as Larry
As wise as an owl
As white as my great-grandmother’s hair
As merry as a cricket
As much use as a yard of pump water
As annoying as nails scratching against a chalkboard

Metaphors for Kids

Bruce is the lion king of his class.
Stacey is a dog when she eats.
Fire is day; when it goes out, it is night.
Her soft voice was music to his ears.
Jason is the Tiger Woods of his golf team.
His belt was a snake curling around his waist.
Chris’s reply was burning hot and crispy.
Shaun was a wall, bouncing every tennis ball back over the net.
The algebra question x+16=30 is a sharp object jiggling around in my brain.
Ashton tried to help but his legs were rubber.
How could Ashley marry a snake like that!
We would have had more pizza to eat if Tina hadn’t been such a hog.
Karen is a chicken.
Every time I have lunch with my friends, I feel that Jason’s a real pig.
He slithered into town quietly so no one would notice when he dug his fangs in and slowly poisoned their minds.
Cindy was such a mule. We couldn’t get her to change her mind.
The poor rat didn’t have a chance. Our old cat, a bolt of lightning, caught his prey.
Her friends’ suggestion was just a Band-Aid for her problem.
Even a child could carry my dog, Dogface, around for hours. He’s such a feather.
Trust Jacob to spill the beans on Resse’s surprise birthday party.
Tyler is a walking encyclopedia.
Peer pressure was a shackle keeping him from being a ballet dancer.

These examples can come in handy when you want to explain yourself in a unique way. Once you know how and when to use similes and metaphors, you’ll be able to express yourself in style, without putting a lot of effort.