Introduction:

Even if you don’t know the definition like the back of your hand, you’ve probably seen plenty of similes. For example: I know that definition like the back of my hand. Those two are as different as night and day. He stood out like a sore thumb. That answer is as clear as mud. Grandpa has a memory like a sieve. The mouse is as dead as a doornail. Here’s a tip: Need a trick to remember? Simile sounds a lot like similar. Similes compare similar things, with help from the words like or as.

More Simile Examples

Similes can make writing more colorful and interesting. If you don’t believe us, ask these famous writers. William Shakespeare O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night, Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear…” Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 5 As a side note, the word “Ethiop” isn’t exactly politically correct. But Shakespeare didn’t know that when he used it to evoke Juliet’s jeweliness. William Wordsworth I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o’er vales and hills. “Daffodils” That’s pretty lonely. Langston Hughes What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? “Harlem, 2” Don’t defer your dreams, folks. You don’t know what could happen to them.

Similes in Writing

The above examples represent the height of poetic creation. But similes also boost everyday writing by painting a vivid image in just a few words. Compare these sentences: Lois walked across the room with purpose. Lois moved across the room like a warship sailing into battle. The first sentence is relatively bland. But the simile in the second sentence invites the reader to imagine an old-fashioned warship sailing to battle: stately, determined, proud, perhaps with a hint of danger. It characterizes Lois as an imposing figure and hints that she’s planning something big once she gets to the other side of the room.

Similes and Exaggeration

Similes often make use of hyperbole , or exaggeration: He runs as fast as lightning .She’s as sweet as honey .You sing like an angel. Similes focus on a particular aspect of a comparison, so they keep hyperbolic statements from seeming over-the-top. Contrast these sentences: Dirk’s a mean snake. Dirk’s as mean as a snake. The first version is a metaphor, but it’s so blunt that it risks seeming clumsy or childish. The second version, a simile, more clearly emphasizes the quality that Dirk shares with snakes: meanness. Figurative language is an excellent way to add interest and imagery to your writing. So next time you’re struggling to find exactly the right words for a description, try to come up with a simile that’s as perfect as a flawless diamond.

Simile vs. Metaphor