Message: #0  2021-12-18  

Simile Definition


What is simile? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike
things. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting
words "like" or "as," but can also use other words that indicate an
explicit comparison. Eleanor Roosevelt's line, "A woman is like a
teabag—you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot
water," is an example of simile. Roosevelt compares two unlike things,
women and teabags, to describe how women reveal the full extent of
their strength in tough situations.

Some additional key details about simile:

Because the comparison established by a simile is not literal (a woman
isn't literally like a teabag), similes are a form of figurative
language.
While most similes use the connecting words "like" or "as" to
establish the comparison they're making, similes can use other words
that create a direct comparison, including other connecting words
(such as, "so" or "than") or verbs of comparison (such as, "compare"
and "resemble").
Some similes have become such a common part of everyday speech that we
barely notice them, for instance, when we say "I slept like a log" or
"The news hit me like a ton of bricks."