Meaning & use

similes

noun·Academic

Figures of speech that compare two different things using 'like' or 'as' to highlight a shared quality.

See it in a sentence

The poem was full of similes, comparing her laughter to bells and her eyes to stars.

Students practiced writing similes to make their descriptions more vivid.

A note on using this word

Similes always use 'like' or 'as'; a metaphor makes the same kind of comparison without those words.

Words with a similar meaning

This term is best learned through its definition and examples.

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

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