Meaning & use
metaphor
A figure of speech that describes something by referring to it as if it were something else, to suggest a resemblance.
See it in a sentence
Time is money is a common metaphor that compares time to a valuable resource.
The poet used the ocean as a metaphor for the vastness of human emotion.
A note on using this word
Unlike a simile, which uses like or as to compare things, a metaphor states directly that one thing is another, without a comparison word.
Words with a similar meaning
figure of speechanalogy
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “metaphor”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.