Explaining Similes and Metaphors

simile: Jason is as smart as Einstein

Jason & Einstein:

  • intelligent
  • bright
  • great mind
  • studious
  • exceptional

Both Jason and Einstein are exceptionally intelligent. This suggests that Jason is an extremely bright person because he is being compared to Einstein, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest minds in history.

simile: My appetite is like a cauldron

appetite & cauldron:

  • bottomless
  • insatiable
  • large quantities
  • vast
  • never-ending

Both my appetite and a cauldron are intense and seemingly bottomless. This suggests my appetite is overwhelming and insatiable because a cauldron is often associated with large quantities and constant activity, implying that my hunger is vast and never-ending.

simile: The dancer floated like a butterfly

Both the dancer and a butterfly are graceful and light. This suggests the dancer is elegant and effortless in movement because a butterfly is known for its delicate, airy flight, implying that the dancer moves with similar beauty and ease.

Practice – Write 10 Simile stems using method shown above.

metaphor: “The dancer was a bee.”

dancer & bee:

  • energy
  • precision
  • purpose
  • graceful
  • purpose

The dancer is a metaphor for a bee because they both move with energy, precision, and purpose. Consequently, the metaphor highlights how the dancer’s movements are not only graceful but also purposeful and industrious, much like a bee’s focused and tireless work.