What does simile mean?
A simile is a comparison between two different things that uses the words “like” or “as.” It can clarify an unfamiliar idea, emphasize a quality, or produce an memorable image. For example, describing someone’s movement as “like flowing water” suggests grace and ease. Similes occur in poetry, prose, speeches, advertising, and everyday speech, ranging from simple idioms to extended comparisons developed across several sentences. They differ from metaphors, which identify one thing with another without using “like” or “as.” The word can also refer more broadly to an analogy or figurative comparison, although this usage is less common. A simile is especially useful when the literal description is difficult to visualize or understand. Its effectiveness depends on the relevance and freshness of the comparison: a well-chosen simile clarifies while enriching the description, whereas a familiar or strained one may sound automatic or distracting.
nounA simile is a comparison between two different things that uses “like” or “as” to explain a similarity or make a description more vivid.
- A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two different things, typically using “like” or “as” to clarify a similarity or create a vivid image.
- A comparison or analogy expressed in figurative language.
"Her voice was like silk, a simile that perfectly captured its softness."
"The journalist avoided clichés and developed each simile carefully."
"Her essay opens with an extended simile describing the river as a restless silver road."
The plural is used for individual figures of speech or examples of comparison.
"The chapter analyzes three memorable similes from the novel."
A simile puts “like” or “as” on the comparison, while a metaphor asks readers to make the leap themselves.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does simile come from?
The word entered Middle English through French, from the Latin neuter noun simile, meaning “a similar thing” or “comparison.” Latin simile was derived from similis, meaning “like” or “similar,” the source of English words such as similar, similarity, and similitude. The term became established in English during the late Middle English period and was later adopted more widely in discussions of rhetoric and figurative language.
Related word forms
How simile is actually used
Similes are common in literature, speeches, and informal conversation. Overused comparisons such as “busy as a bee” may sound clichéd, while freshly constructed similes can add clarity and vividness.
Easily confused with simile
A simile compares things explicitly with “like” or “as,” whereas a metaphor states that one thing is another.