metaphor using homework

25 Metaphors for Homework

Homework – a word that can evoke a wide range of emotions in students, from dread to determination. It’s a crucial aspect of education, a bridge between classroom learning and independent understanding.

However, sometimes it feels like a never-ending struggle. But what if we looked at homework differently? What if we used metaphors to describe it, making it seem less like a chore and more like an adventure?

In this article, we’ll explore various metaphors for homework, each shedding light on a unique aspect of this academic endeavor.

Metaphors for Homework

1. a set of instructions or steps.

Meaning: Homework can be likened to a set of instructions or steps, similar to following a recipe.

In a Sentence: Just as a chef follows a recipe to create a culinary masterpiece, students follow the instructions in their homework to master a subject.

2. A Road to Travel

Meaning: Homework can be seen as a journey or path towards learning and understanding, like traveling down a road.

In a Sentence: Each assignment is a mile marker on the road of education, guiding students on their quest for knowledge.

3. A Fish to Catch

Meaning: Homework can involve trying to “catch” new concepts or ideas, similar to how one might try to catch a fish.

In a Sentence: Students cast their mental nets into the vast sea of information, hoping to catch the elusive understanding hidden beneath the surface.

4. A Ship to Steer

Meaning: Homework can involve navigating your way through new material, similar to steering a ship.

In a Sentence: Just as a captain must navigate through treacherous waters, students steer their way through complex assignments, avoiding pitfalls along the way.

5. A Tool to Use

Meaning: Homework can be seen as a means to an end, like a tool that is used to accomplish a task.

In a Sentence: Homework serves as a versatile tool in the educational toolbox, helping students sharpen their cognitive skills.

6. A Canvas to Paint

Meaning: Homework can be seen as an opportunity to create and express yourself, similar to painting on a canvas.

In a Sentence: Each assignment is a blank canvas where students can brush strokes of their unique understanding, creating a masterpiece of comprehension.

7. A Battle to Fight

Meaning: Homework can sometimes feel like a struggle or a challenge that needs to be overcome, like a battle.

In a Sentence: Armed with knowledge as their sword and determination as their shield, students engage in the intellectual battles of homework.

8. A Journey to Embark On

Meaning: Homework can be seen as a journey of discovery and learning, like embarking on a new adventure.

In a Sentence: Every homework assignment is an exciting expedition into the uncharted territories of knowledge, full of surprises and revelations.

9. A Treasure to Hunt For

Meaning: Homework can involve searching for and uncovering new information or knowledge, similar to hunting for treasure.

In a Sentence: With each assignment, students become modern-day treasure hunters, sifting through information to find the golden nuggets of wisdom hidden within.

10. A Plant to Water

Meaning: Homework can involve nurturing and maintaining your understanding of a subject, similar to watering a plant to keep it healthy.

In a Sentence: Just as a gardener cares for their plants, students must regularly tend to their understanding by completing homework assignments to ensure it grows and flourishes.

11. A Puzzle to Solve

Meaning: Homework can be likened to a puzzle, where students must piece together information and concepts to form a complete picture.

In a Sentence: Each assignment is a puzzle waiting to be solved, with every answer contributing to the bigger picture of understanding.

12. A Marathon to Run

Meaning: Homework can be seen as a long-distance race, where consistency and pacing are key to reaching the finish line successfully.

In a Sentence: Education is not a sprint; it’s a marathon, and homework is a daily training session to build endurance and knowledge.

13. A Symphony to Compose

Meaning: Homework can be compared to composing a symphony, where different elements must harmonize to create a beautiful piece of work.

In a Sentence: Like a composer crafting a symphony, students craft their assignments, ensuring that each part contributes to the overall harmony.

14. A Code to Crack

Meaning: Homework can be like deciphering a complex code, where students work diligently to understand and solve the intricacies of a subject.

In a Sentence: Each assignment presents a code to be cracked, and with perseverance, students unveil the secrets hidden within.

15. A Garden to Cultivate

Meaning: Homework can be seen as a garden to cultivate, where students plant the seeds of knowledge and nurture their growth over time.

In a Sentence: Just as a gardener tends to their plants, students must care for their understanding, allowing it to bloom with each completed assignment.

16. A Map to Follow

Meaning: Homework can be likened to following a map, where each task guides students on a journey through the landscape of learning.

In a Sentence: Each homework assignment is a map, leading students through the terrain of knowledge, helping them explore and navigate.

17. A Story to Write

Meaning: Homework can be compared to writing a story, where students craft narratives of their own understanding and insights.

In a Sentence: With each assignment, students become storytellers, weaving together facts and ideas to create compelling narratives of learning.

18. A Recipe to Master

Meaning: Homework can be seen as a recipe to master, with each step representing a key ingredient in the dish of comprehension.

In a Sentence: Just as a chef perfects a recipe, students perfect their understanding by diligently following the steps of their assignments.

19. A Puzzle to Assemble

Meaning: Homework can be like assembling a jigsaw puzzle, where students fit together the pieces of knowledge to complete the big picture.

In a Sentence: Each homework task is a puzzle piece, and students become expert puzzle solvers, completing the grand educational image.

20. A Building to Construct

Meaning: Homework can be likened to constructing a building, where each assignment contributes to the foundation of knowledge.

In a Sentence: Education is a construction project, and students are the builders, laying each brick of understanding with their homework efforts.

21. A Sculpture to Shape

Meaning: Homework can be compared to sculpting a masterpiece, where students chisel away at their understanding to reveal the beauty of knowledge.

In a Sentence: Each assignment is a block of marble, and students are the sculptors, shaping their comprehension with each refined detail.

22. A Puzzle to Navigate

Meaning: Homework can be like navigating through a labyrinth, where students must find their way through complex concepts and ideas.

In a Sentence: Much like an intrepid explorer in a maze, students navigate the intricate paths of homework assignments, aiming to emerge victorious.

23. A Bridge to Cross

Meaning: Homework can be seen as a bridge connecting what students know to what they need to learn, helping them cross over to a deeper understanding.

In a Sentence: With each assignment, students build bridges of knowledge, enabling them to cross over into uncharted territories of learning.

24. A Puzzle to Piece Together

Meaning: Homework can be likened to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, where each element represents a crucial part of the overall comprehension.

In a Sentence: Just as puzzle enthusiasts meticulously connect pieces to reveal a picture, students piece together concepts in their assignments to see the complete educational image.

25. A Song to Compose

Meaning: Homework can be compared to composing a musical masterpiece, where students harmonize the notes of knowledge to create beautiful compositions.

In a Sentence: Like composers crafting symphonies, students craft their assignments, ensuring that every element contributes to the melodious tune of understanding.

These metaphors for homework offer a rich tapestry of perspectives, each highlighting a distinct facet of the educational journey. By adopting these metaphors, students can shift their mindset from mere homework completion to engaging in exciting adventures, solving puzzles, composing symphonies, and nurturing gardens of knowledge. Homework becomes not just a task but a canvas for creativity and exploration.

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30 Metaphors for Homework + Quiz

Homework is like that friend who always shows up unannounced, stays longer than expected, and never fails to challenge you. We’ve all been there, staring at a pile of assignments, wondering how to make it through the night.

But what if we could turn these seemingly insurmountable tasks into metaphors, making them easier to understand and conquer?

In this article, we’ll explore a variety of metaphors for homework, each shedding light on the multifaceted nature of this educational endeavor.

What is a Metaphor for Homework?

Metaphors are powerful tools that help us make sense of complex ideas by comparing them to something more familiar.

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What is a simile?

Identify the simile in the following sentence: “She swims like a fish.”

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Which of the following is a metaphor?

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What does the idiom “break the ice” mean?

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Choose the adjective in the following sentence: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

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Identify the verb in the following sentence: “The cat sleeps on the sofa.”

“Out of the frying pan into the fire” is an example of:

Which of the following is an adjective?

The abbreviation “NASA” stands for:

Choose the metaphor in the following sentence: “Time is a thief.”

What does the idiom “hit the books” mean?

Which of the following sentences contains a simile?

“LOL” is an abbreviation for:

Identify the verb in this sentence: “They whispered secrets into the night.”

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When it comes to homework, using metaphors can make the experience less daunting and more relatable.

Let’s dive into some metaphors for homework, giving each one meaning and using them in sentences to illustrate their applicability.

Homework is like a weight on your shoulders, a task that must be carried until completion. For more similes related to homework, you can check out this resource: Similes for Homework . Additionally, if you’re interested in idioms associated with homework, you can explore them here: Idioms for Homework .

Metaphors for Homework

1. a mountain to climb.

Meaning: Homework is as challenging as scaling a towering mountain, requiring determination, effort, and stamina.

In a Sentence: The calculus assignment felt like a mountain to climb, but I conquered it with sheer perseverance.

2. A Beast to Conquer

Meaning: Homework can be a formidable adversary, requiring strategic thinking and courage to defeat.

In a Sentence: The research paper was a beast to conquer, but I tamed it with thorough research and precise writing.

3. A Maze to Navigate

Meaning: Homework often feels like a labyrinth, with twists and turns that demand careful navigation.

In a Sentence: Solving the physics problems was like navigating a maze, but I found my way to the solutions eventually.

4. A Marathon

Meaning: Completing homework assignments can be a long and demanding race, requiring pacing and endurance.

In a Sentence: The history project was a marathon, but I paced myself and finished strong.

5. A Never-Ending Journey

Meaning: Homework can sometimes feel like an endless trip, with no clear destination in sight.

In a Sentence: The literature reading list seemed like a never-ending journey, but I enjoyed every step of it.

6. A Mental Workout

Meaning: Homework exercises our brains, just like a rigorous workout for our bodies.

In a Sentence: Solving those math problems was a mental workout that left me mentally stronger.

7. A Battle of Wits

Meaning: Homework challenges our intellect and reasoning, akin to a strategic battle.

In a Sentence: The debate assignment turned into a fierce battle of wits, but I presented my arguments convincingly.

8. A Puzzle to Solve

Meaning: Homework often consists of pieces that need to fit together, much like a jigsaw puzzle.

In a Sentence: The chemistry assignment was a puzzle to solve, and I finally connected all the pieces.

9. A Treasure Hunt

Meaning: Homework assignments hide valuable knowledge like hidden treasures, waiting to be discovered.

In a Sentence: Researching for the history project felt like a treasure hunt, unearthing fascinating facts.

10. A Brain Teaser

Meaning: Homework can be as puzzling as a challenging brainteaser, demanding creative thinking.

In a Sentence: The riddle in the literature assignment was a brain teaser, but I cracked it with an innovative interpretation.

11. A Time-Consuming Task

Meaning: Homework often eats up our time, similar to a task that demands significant hours.

In a Sentence: The programming project was a time-consuming task, but I managed my schedule efficiently.

12. A Mental Gymnastics

Meaning: Homework stretches our mental abilities, like gymnastics push the limits of physical flexibility.

In a Sentence: The philosophy essay required mental gymnastics to explore intricate concepts.

13. A Mind-Bending Challenge

Meaning: Homework can twist and bend our minds, presenting unconventional problems.

In a Sentence: Solving the physics equations was a mind-bending challenge that expanded my understanding of the subject.

14. A Deep Sea Dive

Meaning: Homework is like diving into the depths of knowledge, exploring uncharted waters.

In a Sentence: Exploring Shakespeare’s sonnets felt like a deep sea dive into the world of literature.

15. A Daunting Obstacle Course

Meaning: Homework can be as intimidating as an obstacle course, testing our skills at every turn.

In a Sentence: The biology project was a daunting obstacle course, but I navigated through it with precision.

16. A Relentless Treadmill

Meaning: Homework often feels like a continuous cycle, much like a treadmill that keeps moving.

In a Sentence: The weekly assignments seemed like a relentless treadmill, but I kept up with the pace.

17. A Tricky Tightrope Walk

Meaning: Homework requires a delicate balance, much like walking on a tightrope.

In a Sentence: Managing my extracurricular activities and homework was a tricky tightrope walk, but I found equilibrium.

18. A Bottomless Pit

Meaning: Homework can feel like an endless void, where the more you do, the more there seems to be left.

In a Sentence: The research for the psychology paper felt like falling into a bottomless pit of information.

19. A Tangled Web

Meaning: Homework often presents complex interconnections, similar to a web of challenges.

In a Sentence: The economics assignment was a tangled web of theories and data analysis.

20. A Steep Learning Curve

Meaning: Homework may have a challenging initial phase, much like a steep curve before mastery.

In a Sentence: Learning to code had a steep learning curve, but I quickly grasped the fundamentals.

21. A Dense Jungle

Meaning: Homework can be as intricate and bewildering as navigating through a dense jungle.

In a Sentence: The ecology project was a journey through a dense jungle of ecosystems and biodiversity.

22. A Wild Rollercoaster Ride

Meaning: Homework can be unpredictable, with ups and downs like a thrilling rollercoaster.

In a Sentence: The creative writing assignment was a wild rollercoaster ride of emotions and inspiration.

23. A Constant Uphill Battle

Meaning: Homework can be a continuous challenge, much like a never-ending ascent.

In a Sentence: The language course felt like a constant uphill battle, but I improved my skills steadily.

24. A Swirling Whirlwind

Meaning: Homework can feel chaotic and overwhelming, resembling a swirling whirlwind.

In a Sentence: Preparing for the history exam was a swirling whirlwind of dates and events.

25. A Complex Chess Game

Meaning: Homework often requires strategic thinking, similar to a chess game.

In a Sentence: Solving the engineering problems was like playing a complex chess game, planning every move carefully.

26. A Demanding Drill

Meaning: Homework can be as rigorous as a demanding drill, requiring practice and discipline.

In a Sentence: Mastering the music composition required a demanding drill of composing melodies.

27. A Never-Ending Story

Meaning: Homework can seem like an ongoing narrative, with each assignment adding to the plot.

In a Sentence: The literature class felt like a never-ending story, with each book contributing to the narrative.

28. A Continuous Quest

Meaning: Homework assignments are like quests, each contributing to our knowledge journey.

In a Sentence: The geography project was a continuous quest to explore different cultures and landscapes.

29. A Boundless Ocean

Meaning: Homework can feel as vast as an ocean, with endless opportunities for exploration.

In a Sentence: The astronomy research was like diving into a boundless ocean of celestial knowledge.

30. A Formidable Foe

Meaning: Homework can be a formidable opponent, challenging us to overcome obstacles.

In a Sentence: The statistics problems were a formidable foe, but I tackled them with determination.

Here are 10 quiz questions about the metaphors mentioned in the article:

• A) Homework is a peaceful and serene experience.
• B) Homework is an easy task to complete.
• C) Homework is challenging and requires determination.
• A) A Treasure Hunt
• B) A Relentless Treadmill
• C) A Mind-Bending Challenge
• A) Homework is straightforward and simple.
• B) Homework requires creative thinking.
• C) Homework is dull and uninspiring.
• A) A Marathon
• B) A Never-Ending Journey
• C) A Swirling Whirlwind
• A) Homework is straightforward and easy to understand.
• B) Homework involves complex interconnections and challenges.
• C) Homework is a relaxing and enjoyable task.
• A) A Deep Sea Dive
• B) A Tricky Tightrope Walk
• C) A Time-Consuming Task
• A) Homework is effortless and requires no effort.
• B) Homework is easy to master.
• C) Homework may have a challenging initial phase before mastery.
• A) A Puzzle to Solve
• B) A Beast to Conquer
• C) A Bottomless Pit
• A) Homework is simple and straightforward.
• B) Homework requires strategic thinking.
• C) Homework is like a recreational game.
• A) A Never-Ending Story
• B) A Continuous Quest
• C) A Demanding Drill

Feel free to use these quiz questions to test your knowledge of the metaphors used to describe homework in the article.

Homework is undoubtedly a significant part of our educational journey, and it comes in many forms, each with its unique challenges. By using metaphors, we can make these challenges more relatable and easier to tackle.

Whether it’s conquering a beast, navigating a maze, or embarking on a never-ending journey, we can find inspiration in these metaphors to approach homework with confidence and enthusiasm.

About the author

Dr. Julia Rossi

Dr. Julia Rossi , a luminary in the field of linguistics, earned her Ph.D. with a groundbreaking thesis that delved into the cultural and historical dimensions of idioms, metaphors, and similes. Her work, spanning decades, has brought to light the dynamic nature of idiomatic expressions, illustrating how they serve as cultural artifacts, revealing the collective consciousness of a society. Rossi’s publications, widely acclaimed in academic circles, have not only expanded our understanding of idioms but have also paved the way for a more nuanced appreciation of cross-cultural communication.

Word Of The Day

Ephemeral (adjective) :

• Lasting for a very short time; short-lived; transitory.
• Existing only briefly; temporary; fleeting.

Example sentence: “The beauty of the cherry blossoms is ephemeral, lasting only a few weeks each spring.”

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Verbal Versa

19 Metaphors For Homework

Hey, students! Let’s talk about metaphors for homework. It’s like comparing homework to different things to help us understand it better. From saying it’s a mountain to climb to calling it a puzzle to solve, metaphors make homework feel more relatable. So, get ready to explore the world of homework metaphors and see your assignments in a whole new light! 📚✨

Table of Contents

Homework is the Flashlight in the Dark Cave of Learning:

Explanation: Homework acts as a source of light that helps students navigate through the complex world of learning. Just as a flashlight illuminates the path in a dark cave, homework illuminates the path to understanding by providing students with the opportunity to practice and reinforce what they have learned in class. It helps to clarify concepts and identify areas where further study is needed. Example: Just as a flashlight helps a hiker find their way in the dark, homework helps a student find their way through the complex maze of learning.

Homework is the Seasoning in the Soup of Knowledge:

Explanation: Homework adds flavor and depth to the learning experience, making it more enjoyable and satisfying for students. Just as seasoning enhances the taste of food, homework enhances the learning process by providing students with the opportunity to explore topics in greater depth and develop a deeper understanding of the material. It also helps to build critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Example: Just as seasoning brings out the flavor of a soup, homework brings out the full flavor of learning.

Intelligence’s Inventory:

Explanation: Homework is like a storage room for the mind, where students can stockpile knowledge and skills for future use. By completing homework, students are able to reinforce what they have learned in class and commit it to memory, building a valuable inventory of knowledge and skills that they can draw upon in the future. This inventory is essential for academic success and personal growth. Example: Just as a well-stocked inventory helps a business succeed, a well-stocked mind helps a student succeed.

Homework is the Road Signs on the Highway to Understanding:

Explanation: Homework provides students with clear directions and guidance on the path to understanding. It helps students to stay on track and avoid getting lost in the complex world of learning . Just as road signs provide directions and warnings to drivers, homework provides students with the information they need to stay on the right path and avoid misunderstandings or misconceptions. Example: Just as a road sign points the way to a destination, homework points the way to understanding.

Homework is the GPS Guiding You Through the Maze of Information:

Explanation: Homework acts as a personal guide for students, helping them to navigate the overwhelming amount of information they encounter in their studies. It provides students with a clear and concise roadmap to understanding, allowing them to focus on the most important concepts and avoid getting lost in the details. Just as a GPS provides turn-by-turn directions to a destination, homework provides step-by-step guidance to understanding. Example: Just as a GPS guides a driver to their destination, homework guides a student to understanding.

Study’s Seedbed:

Explanation: Homework is the fertile ground where knowledge and skills are planted and nurtured. By completing homework, students are able to cultivate their understanding of a subject and watch it grow over time. Just as a seed needs the right conditions to germinate and grow into a plant , knowledge needs to be nurtured through practice and reinforcement to take root and flourish. Example: Just as a seedbed provides the ideal conditions for a seed to grow, homework provides the ideal conditions for knowledge to grow.

Homework is the Passport to the Land of Enlightenment:

Explanation: Homework is the ticket that grants students access to the world of knowledge and understanding. By completing homework, students are able to gain entry to a wealth of information and insights that would otherwise be closed off to them. This passport allows students to explore new ideas, broaden their perspectives, and deepen their understanding of the world. Example: Just as a passport allows travelers to visit new countries, homework allows students to visit new realms of knowledge.

Homework is the Rope Pulling You Up the Mountain of Learning:

Explanation: Homework is the lifeline that helps students climb the steep and challenging slope of learning. It provides students with the support and guidance they need to overcome obstacles and reach new heights of understanding. Just as a rope provides climbers with the assistance they need to ascend a mountain, homework provides students with the assistance they need to ascend the mountain of learning. Example: Just as a rope helps a climber reach the summit, homework helps a student reach the summit of understanding.

Study’s Stockpile:

Explanation: Homework is the storehouse where students can accumulate and preserve their knowledge and skills. By completing homework, students are able to build a reserve of information and abilities that they can draw upon in the future. This stockpile is essential for academic success and personal growth, providing students with the resources they need to tackle new challenges and pursue their goals. Example: Just as a stockpile provides a store of resources, homework provides a store of knowledge and skills.

Homework is the Key Unlocking the Door to Wisdom:

Explanation: Homework is the tool that allows students to unlock the door to a wealth of knowledge and insights. By completing homework, students are able to gain access to the treasures that lie within the realm of understanding. This key unlocks the door to new ideas, perspectives, and possibilities, allowing students to broaden their horizons and expand their minds. Example: Just as a key unlocks a door, homework unlocks the door to wisdom.

Background Boost:

Explanation: Homework provides students with a solid foundation of knowledge and skills that they can build upon in the future. By completing homework, students are able to reinforce what they have learned in class and commit it to memory, creating a strong background that will support their future learning. This background boost gives students the confidence and competence they need to succeed in their studies and beyond. Example: Just as a background boosts an image, homework boosts a student’s knowledge and skills.

Absorb the School Day:

Explanation: Homework is the opportunity for students to fully absorb and digest the information they have learned during the school day. By completing homework, students are able to review and reflect on the material, allowing it to sink in and become a part of their long-term memory. This process of absorption helps students to retain the information and apply it in new and meaningful ways. Example: Just as a sponge absorbs water, homework allows students to absorb the lessons of the school day.

Homework is the Blueprint Sketching Out Your Educational Journey:

Explanation: Homework is the plan that maps out a student’s path to academic success. It provides students with a clear and concise roadmap to understanding, allowing them to focus on the most important concepts and avoid getting lost in the details. By following this blueprint, students are able to make steady progres s towards their goals and achieve their full potential. Example: Just as a blueprint guides a builder, homework guides a student on their educational journey.

Ingredients to Prepare:

Explanation: Homework is the raw materials that students need to cook up a successful academic career. By completing homework, students are able to gather the information and skills they need to tackle more complex challenges and achieve their goals. These ingredients are essential for academic success, providing students with the fuel they need to power their learning and growth. Example: Just as ingredients are necessary for cooking, homework is necessary for academic success.

Homework is the Mirror Reflecting Your Academic Reflection:

Explanation: Homework provides students with a clear and accurate reflection of their academic progress. By completing homework, students are able to see where they stand in terms of their understanding and skills, and identify areas where they need to improve. This reflection allows students to make adjustments and take corrective action, helping them to stay on track and achieve their goals. Example: Just as a mirror reflects an image, homework reflects a student’s academic progress.

Material to Internalize:

Explanation: Homework is the means by which students can fully integrate and internalize the material they have learned in class. By completing homework, students are able to practice and reinforce what they have learned, committing it to memory and making it a part of their long-term knowledge base. This internalization process is essential for academic success, as it allows students to build a solid foundation of knowledge that they can draw upon in the future. Example: Just as a plant internalizes nutrients from the soil, homework allows students to internalize the material they have learned.

Homework is the Building Blocks of Your Educational Tower:

Explanation: Homework is the foundation upon which students can construct a towering edifice of knowledge and skills. By completing homework, students are able to build upon what they have learned in class, adding layer upon layer of understanding and ability. This educational tower is essential for academic success, providing students with the height and stability they need to reach their goals. Example: Just as building blocks are used to construct a tower, homework is used to construct an educational tower.

Homework is the Tune That Dances Through the Melody of Learning:

Explanation: Homework is the rhythm and flow that brings the learning process to life. By completing homework, students are able to engage with the material in a dynamic and interactive way, exploring its nuances and complexities. This tune adds depth and richness to the learning experience, making it more enjoyable and memorable for students. Example: Just as a tune brings a melody to life, homework brings the learning process to life.

Exercises to Keep Sharp:

Explanation: Homework is the practice that students need to stay sharp and maintain their academic edge. By completing homework, students are able to keep their skills and knowledge fresh and up-to-date, preventing them from becoming rusty or outdated. This regular practice is essential for academic success, as it helps students to stay focused and motivated, and prepares them for the challenges ahead. Example: Just as exercises keep a person physically fit, homework keeps a student academically fit.

Summary Table Of Metaphors For Homework

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55+ Metaphor Examples, Plus Clever Ideas To Teach Them

A metaphor is a hidden key.

Writers use figurative language like metaphors to bring their writing to life. But what exactly is a metaphor (and how is it different from a simile)? Learn more about this literary device, and get metaphor examples and teaching ideas for your students.

What is a metaphor?

A metaphor is a literary device that draws a comparison between two otherwise unrelated things. It’s used to make an idea more relatable to the reader, or to evoke an emotional response. Metaphors often use hyperbole, or exaggerated language, to paint a vivid picture.

• Example: Today’s history exam was a total nightmare.

Metaphors are examples of figurative language, where the words are meaningful but not strictly true. In the above example, the speaker doesn’t mean that they fell asleep during their exam and had a nightmare. Instead, they’re drawing a comparison between the two to help the reader understand how terrible the experience was.

Metaphor vs. Analogy

Metaphors are similar to another literary device, the analogy. However, a metaphor is used to evoke feeling and emotion. A writer uses an analogy to help the reader draw a logical conclusion. If you’re trying to figure out if a phrase is a metaphor or an analogy, ask whether it’s meant to provoke an emotional reaction or help a reader understand something through logic.

• Metaphor: Time is a remorseless river.
• Analogy: Time is like a rapid river, flowing remorselessly onward. Trying to swim upstream is futile; you must simply go where the currents take you.

Metaphor vs. Simile

To add to the confusion, similes are another type of figurative language comparison used as a literary device. In a simile, though, the writer uses the words “like” or “as” rather than making a direct comparison.

• Metaphor: The sound of her voice was music to their ears.
• Simile: Her voice was like music.

Learn more about similes here.

What are the different types of metaphors?

We can break metaphors down into specific types:

This is the most basic type of metaphor, in which the writer simply makes a stated comparison between two unrelated things.

• Standard metaphor example: Racism is a fatal disease for our society.

The direct comparison here is between racism and a disease, bluntly stated and easy to identify.

Implied: In an implied metaphor, the writer is more subtle, using imagery to evoke the comparison between two things.

• Implied metaphor example: It was time for Elijah to spread his wings and fly.

By using language about wings and flying, the author implies a metaphor between Elijah and a bird.

In a visual metaphor, an image replaces or reinforces the words. This classic public service announcement from the 1980s is an excellent visual metaphor example:

As the name implies, an extended metaphor is more than just one sentence. It can be a series of lines in poetry, or a theme carried through paragraphs (or an entire book) in prose. Analogies can seem like extended metaphors, but remember that analogies are meant to help the reader draw logical conclusions, while metaphors provoke an emotional response.

• Extended metaphor example: “The dim attic was a forgotten lifetime. Cobwebs in the corners were shadowy memories, and rusty locked trunks held the passed years. A layer of soft dust lay over all, a blanket of lamented time gone by.”

Each sentence in this paragraph extends the metaphorical connection between the attic and a life lived long ago.

The term “dead metaphor” can be used in several ways, but it generally means a metaphorical expression that has lost its power over time. This might be because the original meaning of a word has changed or that it has fallen out of use. A dead metaphor can also be an overused cliche, one that we’ve all heard so often it no longer has much impact.

• Dead metaphor example: That remark was really beyond the pale.

You’ve probably heard this phrase, but do you know what it actually means? Many years ago, “the pale” referred to a wooden stake used to mark a boundary line. To say something was “beyond the pale” meant that it crossed an accepted boundary. This phrase is still used today, though few know what it actually means, making it a dead metaphor.

Mixed Metaphors

What about the phrase “mixed metaphors”? Once again, the clue is in the name: A mixed metaphor is when the writer or speaker mixes two comparisons into one metaphor, making things more confusing instead of clearer. Mixed metaphors are often combinations of well-known phrases.

• We’ll cross that bridge when the ball is in our court.

This sentence combines two common metaphors. The first, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” compares dealing with an issue or making a decision to crossing a bridge. The second, “The ball is in our court,” makes a connection between taking your turn in a ball game and dealing with an issue or a decision. Put together, the two frankly sound a little bit silly, so strong writers try to avoid mixing metaphors.

General Metaphor Examples

• Tom is the black sheep of his family.
• The vast parking lot was a Sahara under the relentless sun.
• As the children started to work, the classroom became a beehive of activity.
• Laughter is the best medicine.
• Time is a thief, stealing moments away before we know it.
• Her smile was a lighthouse, guiding him safely across the crowded room.
• Li’s anger was a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.
• Romance is the key to her heart.
• Olivia’s words were sharp daggers, cutting Jordan down to size.
• To Leslie, the vacant lot was a blank canvas, waiting to be turned into a beautiful park.
• Your bedroom is a pigsty—clean it up!
• A storm of emotions brewed deep inside, under Juan’s calm exterior.
• Life is a journey, so enjoy each step along the way.
• Her shrill laugh was nails on a chalkboard to me.
• Love is a rose, with sweet fragrance and sharp thorns.
• If I’m going to get all this work done on time, I’ll need to be a real machine today.
• With our boss out of town for the week, this place is a real circus.
• As she watched him sing, April’s face was an open book.
• Assad’s eyes were deep pools, drawing him in.
• Layla’s pride is her armor, protecting her from all attacks.

Metaphor Examples From Literature

• “I’m a riddle in nine syllables.” ( “Metaphors” by Sylvia Plath)
• “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” ( As You Like It by William Shakespeare)
• “Hope is the thing with feathers / that perches in the soul.” ( “Hope Is the Thing With Feathers” by Emily Dickinson)
• “It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.” ( Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare)
• “Her mouth was a fountain of delight.” ( The Storm by Kate Chopin)
• “Mr. Neck storms into class, a bull chasing thirty-three red flags.” ( Speak by Laurie Anderson)
• “The sun was a toddler insistently refusing to go to bed: It was past eight thirty and still light.”( The Fault in Our Stars by John Green)
• “Light the first page, light the second page. Each becomes a black butterfly. Beautiful, eh?” ( Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury)
• “He glanced out the rear window at the iron centipede of traffic.” ( Sins of Two Fathers by Denis Hamill)
• “His grin is a large plastic comb of teeth.” ( Anagrams by Lorrie Moore)
• “Do not go gentle into that good night / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” (“Do not go gentle into that good night” by Dylan Thomas
• “Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky.” ( Sand and Foam by Kahlil Gibran)
• “Time rises and rises, and when it reaches the level of your eyes you drown.” ( The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood)
• “Fame is a bee / It has a song— / It has a sting— / Ah, too, it has a wing.” (“Fame Is a Bee” by Emily Dickinson)
• “Middle C is the belly button of the piano.” ( I Could Tell You Stories by Patricia Hampl)

Metaphor Examples From Songs

• “Baby, you’re a firework! Come on, let your colors burst.” (“Firework” by Katy Perry)
• “Love is a battlefield.” (“Love Is a Battlefield” by Pat Benatar)
• “Life is a highway. I wanna ride it all night long.” (“Life Is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane)
• “You are the sunshine of my life.” (“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Wonder)
• “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog, crying all the time.” (“Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley)
• “I’m the sunshine in your hair / I’m the shadow on the ground.” (“I’m Already There” by Lonestar)
• “I’m the satellite, and you’re the sky.” (“Cecilia and the Satellite” by Andrew McMahon)
• “My heart’s a stereo / It beats for you so listen close.” (“Stereo Hearts” by Maroon 5)
• “You are the thunder and I am the lightning.” (“Naturally” by Selena Gomez)
• “I’m a hot-air balloon that could go to space.” (“Happy” by Pharrell Williams)
• “My lover’s got humor / She’s the giggle at a funeral.” (“Take Me to Church” by Hozier)
• “All in all you’re just another brick in the wall.” (“Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd)
• “And he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger.” (“Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor)
• “I got that sunshine in my pocket.” (“Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake)
• “You’re my kryptonite / You keep making me weak.” (“One Thing” by One Direction)

How To Teach Metaphors

In addition to sharing metaphor examples with students, try these smart teaching ideas.

Write paint chip poetry

Kids will love this creative activity where they write color metaphors on paint chip samples. Hang a bulletin board full of them, and you’ll have a vivid metaphor display for the classroom!

Learn more: Paint Chip Poetry via Fabulous in Fifth

Mix and match similes and metaphors

This split-page book is so much fun for kids to make, and it gives them practice with figurative language like metaphors, similes, and more.

Learn more: Mix-and-Match Metaphors via Teaching in Room 6

Take the metaphor challenge

This one is great for middle or high school, since it can be a bit tough. Each student draws a slip of paper with a random word or phrase on it. Then they partner up and try to create a metaphor that links their two words together.

Learn more: Metaphor Challenge via Learning in Room 213

What are your favorite metaphor examples to use in the classroom? Come share your ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, 75+ appealing alliteration examples (plus teaching ideas) ..

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Literary Devices

Literary devices, terms, and elements, definition of metaphor.

A metaphor is a rhetorical figure of speech that compares two subjects without the use of “like” or “as.” Metaphor is often confused with simile , which compares two subjects by connecting them with “like” or “as” (for example: “She’s fit as a fiddle”). While a simile states that one thing is like another, a metaphor asserts that one thing is the other, or is a substitute for the other thing.

A metaphor asserts a correlation or resemblance between two things that are otherwise unrelated. The English word “metaphor” originates from the Greek metaphorá, which means “to transfer” or “to carry over.” Indeed, a metaphor transfers meaning from one subject on to another so that the target subject can be understood in a new way.

Rhetoricians have further elaborated on the definition of metaphor by separating and naming the two key elements. There are a few different sets of names for these two parts: they can be called the “tenor” and the “vehicle”, the “ground” and the “figure”, or the “target” and the “source”. Consider this famous example of a metaphor from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”:

All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.

In this example, the world is the primary subject, and it gains attributes from the stage (ie, from theater). Thus, in the binary pairs, the world is the “tenor,” the “ground,” and the “target,” while the stage is the “vehicle,” the “figure,” and the “source.”

Difference between Metaphor and Simile, and Other Types of Analogies

Metaphor is a type of analogy , which is a class of rhetorical figures of speech that creates comparisons between different objects. Other examples of analogies are similes, allegories, hyperboles, and puns. Here are the key differences between these different terms:

• Simile : As stated above, a simile posits a likeness or similarity between two things by connecting them with “like” or “as.” Since a metaphor asserts that one thing is, in fact, identical to another it is often considered a stronger form of analogy than a simile. For example, stating, “Frank is a pig” is a stronger statement of disgust than “Frank is like a pig.”
• Allegory : An allegory is a complete story that uses an extended metaphor throughout the entire story to illustrate complex ideas in a comprehensible way. George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm is an allegory that uses the extended metaphor of animals starting a revolution on their farm to characterize the figures of the Russian Revolution.
• Hyperbole : Hyperbole compares or describes things in an exaggerated way for the sake of emphasis. It is common, for example, to pronounce, “I’m starving” when one is merely hungry or “I’m freezing” when one is quite cold. The state of starvation is much more dire than mere hunger, and so we say we are starving to emphasize the need for food.
• Pun : Like metaphor, a pun uses comparison to create cognitive links between two things. The difference between the two terms is that a pun does so for comedic effect. For example: “I’m glad I know sign language, it’s pretty handy.” In this pun, the word “handy” refers both to the usefulness of sign language and also to the fact that sign language relies on the speakers’ hands.

Examples of Metaphor from Common Speech

Many common sayings are metaphors. Here are just a few examples:

• Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
• It was raining cats and dogs.
• Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
• People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
• A watched pot never boils.

Significance of Metaphor in Literature

Metaphor is a key component of all forms of literature, including poetry, prose , and drama . This is not only because metaphor is a highly useful literary device, but also because it is such a vital part of all language and communication. Many cognitive theorists have researched and written about the importance of metaphor in the way we understand the world around us. For example, in western culture the phrase “time is money” is quite prevalent. This is not just a cliché, though; we talk about time in terms of wasting it, spending it, saving it, and so on. The metaphorical comparison of these two concepts ends up influencing the way people in cultures actually perceive time.

It should come as no surprise, therefore, that there are examples of metaphor in literature from every culture. The use of metaphor allows authors to present unfamiliar ideas or situations in ways that the reader is able to comprehend by comparing unknown things to known things. This can be a good technique for fantasy writers or science fiction writers to make the worlds they create seem more familiar to the reader. Metaphors can also be used, however, to compare very common things to one another. This type of usage forges a cognitive link between previously unrelated objects and makes readers appreciate them in a new way.

Examples of Metaphor from Literature

ROMEO: But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

( Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare)

As one of the most famous romances of all time, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet  has many often-quoted lines about love. In this line, Romeo uses the metaphor of Juliet being the rising sun to demonstrate his devotion. Sunrise can signify new hope, which is how Romeo views his relationship with Juliet. Furthermore, the planet revolves around the sun and Romeo feels that his world now revolves around Juliet.

He says, you have to study and learn so that you can make up your own mind about history and everything else but you can’t make up an empty mind. Stock your mind, stock your mind. You might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind is a palace.

( Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt)

Frank McCourt’s memoir Angela’s Ashes is primarily about the poverty in which he grew up. This lovely excerpt, however, demonstrates how he was able to conceptualize his life as having a large amount of potential. Even though McCourt was poor, he could think of his mind as a palace and therefore have riches beyond belief available to him.

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked… …who disappeared into the volcanoes of Mexico leaving behind nothing but the shadow of dungarees and the lava and ash of poetry scattered in fireplace Chicago.

(“Howl” by Allen Ginsberg)

Allen Ginsberg’s 1955 poem “Howl” contains hallucinatory images and wild descriptions. In this particularly vivid excerpt, Ginsberg slides from the imagery of Mexican volcanoes to the “lava and ash of poetry” left behind in fireplaces. The unexpected juxtaposition of these two images is a good example of how metaphor can work to broaden a reader’s conceptual base for a concept, in this case about poetry.

Test Your Knowledge of Metaphor

1. What is the correct metaphor definition? A. A comparison between two things for comedic effect. B. A comparison between two things using “like” or “as”. C. A comparison between two things that states one thing is the other thing.

2. Why is the following excerpt from Robert Frost’s “After Apple Picking” a metaphor example?

…there may be two or three Apples I didn’t pick upon some bough. But I am done with apple-picking now. Essence of winter sleep is on the night, The scent of apples; I am drowsing off. I have had too much Of apple-picking; I am overtired Of the great harvest I myself desired.

A. The speaker in the poem is thinking of the apples that have gone to waste and wishing that he had picked those apples as well. B. The speaker in the poem is comparing the work of apple picking to life itself and feeling that, at the end of his life, he is ready to rest/pass away rather than keep working. C. The speaker in the poem wishes he had more energy for apple picking.

3. Which of the following lines from Shakespeare’s “ Sonnet 18” contains a metaphor?

A.  “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” B.  “But thy eternal summer shall not fade” C.  “So long as men can breathe or eyes can see”  

Metaphor Definition

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

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor can be stated explicitly, as in the sentence "Love is a battlefield." Other times, the writer may make this equation between two things implicitly , as in, "He was wounded by love." The comparisons created by metaphor are not meant to be taken literally. Rather, metaphors are figurative —they create meaning beyond the literal meanings of their words. For instance, these examples are, of course, not saying that love is actually a field of battle or that the person actually got a physical injury from love. Instead, they capture how love can be painful, a struggle, even a showdown between opponents, and—as many good metaphors do—through their comparison they make description more vivid, more relatable, or reveal new ways of seeing the world.

Some additional key details about metaphor:

• Metaphor is one of the most common figures of speech , used by writers throughout history and across the world. They are common in everyday speech and all forms of writing, from narrative fiction, to poetry, to persuasive writing.
• Metaphor is a type of analogy : a comparison between two things or ideas. Take a look at the entry that covers analogy to learn more about the difference between analogy and metaphor.
• There are actually two accepted definitions of metaphor: one that's quite broad, and one that's more specific. The broader definition includes any type of comparison or association, and includes under its umbrella other figures of speech, such as simile . The other, more narrow definition is the one we focus on in this entry, and is limited to figures of speech that state one thing is the other.

Metaphor Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce metaphor: met -uh-fore

The Anatomy of a Metaphor

Metaphors can be broken down into two elements: a tenor and a vehicle.

• The tenor is the thing a metaphor describes.
• The vehicle is the thing to which the tenor is compared.

For instance, in the metaphor " Love is a battlefield ," love is the tenor because it's the thing being described, while "battlefield" is the vehicle because it's the thing love is being compared to. The metaphor operates by borrowing key attributes from the vehicle and ascribing them to the tenor: love is violent, brutal, life-threatening.

A strong metaphor is one in which the attributes shared by the vehicle and the tenor are clear without further explanation. For example, "she's a gem" is a widely used metaphor whose meaning would probably be pretty clear even if we hadn't all heard it a thousand times: it's a way of saying someone is precious, treasured, lovely. "He's a peanut butter sandwich," on the other hand, is a pretty mystifying statement, since the vehicle—a peanut butter sandwich?—doesn't immediately call to mind any particularly vivid qualities or adjectives, let alone adjectives that would be used to describe a person. As a result, a weak metaphor such as this one leaves the mind searching for a basis of comparison between the tenor and the vehicle: is he... sticky? Unappetizing? A perfect combination of two things?

Types of Metaphors

There are a handful of varieties of metaphor that fall under the larger umbrella of "metaphor." Here are a few important ones:

• Conventional Metaphors are just what they sound like: metaphors that have become such a common part of speech that they no longer call attention to their status as metaphors. For instance, when we say that someone is an expert in his or her "field," field is a conventional metaphor for "area of study" or "profession," because it's been used so frequently that we don't even realize we're referencing a physical field. Some sources say that when a conventional metaphor has completely lost its "effectiveness" or ability to influence thought, it becomes a Dead Metaphor. The concept of "dead metaphors" is controversial however, because many people argue that simply because something becomes unconscious, doesn't mean it's dead.
• Creative Metaphors, in contrast to conventional metaphors, are novel comparisons that draw attention to their status as metaphors. The following Rita Rudner quote is a creative metaphor: "Before I met my husband, I'd never fallen in love. I'd stepped in it a few times." Rudner, here, is twisting and playing with the metaphor "falling love" to emphasize the fact that it is a metaphor, and then she's creating a new metaphor all her own. (Of course, she's a comedian so she's also doing it to get laughs.)
• Mixed Metaphor is a combination of two or more incongruous comparisons. These can occur accidentally, or a writer may string incompatible metaphors together for comedic effect. For example, the mixed metaphor, "He was born with a silver foot in his mouth" combines the metaphors "To be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth" (meaning: to be born privileged) and "To put one's foot in one's mouth" (meaning: to say something embarrassing) to create a puzzlingly humorous hybrid. Mixed metaphor is often referred to as catachresis.
• "In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the “unalienable Rights” of “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note..."
• Absolute metaphors are metaphors in which the tenor can't be distinguished from the vehicle. In other words, the content of the metaphor can't be stated explicitly, because the only way to express the content is through the metaphor itself. An example would be "Life is a journey." We're constantly equating life with a journey, often without realizing it, when we say things like "That kid is off to a good start" or "He's taken the road less travelled," because so much of life is unknown: we have no other way in our language to explain the complex, all-encompassing experience that life is. As a result, this metaphor starts to actually shape the way we see life, and the comparison it makes becomes a truth that's impossible to express without the metaphor itself.

These are the most common varieties of metaphor. Here's a great resource with information about still more types of metaphors.

The Debate Over Metaphor's Meaning

There are actually two accepted definitions of metaphor—one that's quite broad and one that's more specific—and people commonly confuse the two without even noticing, so it follows that there is some debate over which definition is correct . The truth is, both definitions are correct, and for that reason it's useful to have a solid understanding of both, as well as what makes them different. These are the two definitions given in the Oxford Companion to English Language —the first one broad, the other narrow:

• Metaphor: All figures of speech that achieve their effect through association, comparison, and resemblance. Figures like antithesis , hyperbole , metonymy , and simile are all species of metaphor.
• Metaphor: A figure of speech which concisely compares two things by saying that one is the other.

This entry focuses on the second, narrower definition of metaphor. To read more about the broader definition of metaphor, it may help to take a look at the entry on analogy —another broad category that encompasses many of the same figures of speech as the broader definition of metaphor.

Metaphor vs. Simile

Of all the different kinds of figures of speech that fit under the broader definition of metaphor (described above), simile is the one that is most often confused with the more specific definition of metaphor that we cover in this entry, since both simile and metaphor are figures of speech that involve the comparison of unlike things. However, simile and metaphor do not make comparisons in the same way. The most obvious difference between simile and metaphor can be summed up this way:

• Similes use the words "like" or "as" to establish their comparison: "The world is like your oyster."
• Metaphors state the comparison without such connecting words: "The world is your oyster."

While the presence of a connecting word, such as "like" or "as," is generally a good rule of thumb to identify similes versus metaphors, it doesn't get at the root of the difference between these two figures of speech. A deeper way to understand the difference is through the nature of the comparison each one makes:

• A simile makes an explicit comparison by asserting that two different things are similar . A simile sets thing A and thing B side by side to compare them. In the sentence "The world is like your oyster," the listener is asked to mentally visualize and compare "the world" and "an oyster"—as though he or she were holding one in each hand—and draw a comparison between the two.
• A metaphor asserts an implicit comparison by stating that one thing is the other thing . Instead of setting two entities A and B side by side through the use of connecting words, metaphor superimposes them. The metaphor "The world is your oyster" asks the reader to imagine his or her relationship to the world as being the relationship of an oyster to the space inside its shell.

This isn't to say that either a simile or metaphor is stronger or better than the other, just that they are subtly different in the sort of comparison they create, and this difference affects how a reader imaginatively interacts with the text.

Metaphor Examples

Examples of metaphor in literature.

Mastering the art of metaphor is essential to writing vivid, relatable poetry and prose. Furthermore, understanding a writer's use of metaphor will enable you to better understand the specific themes that run throughout works of literature.

Metaphor in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby tells the story of Jay Gatsby, an ambitious young man from a poor background, and his pursuit of the wealthy, aristocratic Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby eventually amasses a fortune large enough to purchase a mansion across the water from Daisy's estate on Long Island, New York. Throughout the novel, Gatsby gazes longingly at the green light that shines from the end of Daisy's dock, and this light becomes a symbol for Gatsby's yearning for the unattainable Daisy. Fitzgerald concludes the novel by adding a further layer of meaning to the metaphor of the Green Light:

Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And then one fine morning—So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Here, the green light isn't simply a symbol for Daisy, but a metaphor for the "orgastic future that year by year recedes before us,"—for the ultimate, unattainable, and perhaps even unknowable goal of each individual's ambition. This use of metaphor is a bit subtler than an "X is Y" construction such as "she's a gem," since Fitzgerald never explicitly states that the green light is anything. Instead, he uses a comma to equate the green light with the "orgastic future" that he then describes in detail. He then broadens and extends the metaphor even further by introducing the image of "boats [beating on] against the current" to describe all people who pursue such a future, seeming to suggest that everyone experiences some version of Gatsby's struggle toward the "green light."

Metaphor in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

Romeo uses the following metaphor in Act 2 Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet , after sneaking into Juliet's garden and catching a glimpse of her on her balcony:

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.

Romeo compares Juliet to the sun not only to describe how radiantly beautiful she is, but also to convey the full extent of her power over him. He's so taken with Juliet that her appearances and disappearances affect him like those of the sun. His life "revolves" around Juliet like the earth orbits the sun. The rest of the passage, which we haven't included here, is also an example of extended metaphor—since Romeo continues to speak about Juliet as though she were the sun throughout his brief monologue.

Metaphor in James Joyces' Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a bildungsroman — a novel that follows the journey of a young protagonist from childhood to adulthood. In Portrait, Joyce describes the growth and maturation of Stephen Daedalus, a young boy growing up in an impoverished Irish-Catholic household who ultimately aspires to become a writer. In Chapter 5, Stephen composes the following love poem (a villanelle ) to his beloved Emma Clery (whom he actually barely knows and seldom sees):

Are you not weary of ardent ways, Lure of the fallen seraphim? Tell no more of enchanted days. Your eyes have set man's heart ablaze And you have had your will of him. Are you not weary of ardent ways? Above the flame the smoke of praise Goes up from ocean rim to rim. Tell no more of enchanted days. Our broken cries and mournful lays Rise in one eucharistic hymn. Are you not weary of ardent ways? While sacrificing hands upraise The chalice flowing to the brim, Tell no more of enchanted days. And still you hold our longing gaze With languorous look and lavish limb! Are you not weary of ardent ways? Tell no more of enchanted days.

Stephen's expression of love is full of metaphors—he likens his lovestruck heart to a "blaze," and his words of praise to "smoke." The "chalice flowing to the brim" is similarly a metaphor for the strength of Stephen's feeling—which, in the context of the novel, might be either religious or sexual in nature.

Metaphors occur frequently in love poems such as this, one reason being that the lover or narrator seeks to express the singular, unique experience of love in terms that the reader can relate to. For instance, in the example above from Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare—through Romeo—compares Juliet to the sun, in part because he recognizes that most readers are familiar with the sun's awe-inspiring beauty, and therefore will be better able to imagine Romeo's profound admiration for Juliet through this metaphorical comparison.

However, the use of metaphors can sometimes cover up lack of knowledge about something, and this is particularly relevant to Stephen's poem. Stephen wrote his romantic villanelle to a woman he barely knows and hasn't seen for ten years. His somewhat cliché metaphor comparing love to a "heart ablaze" emitting "smoke of praise" may be interpreted not only as the first attempt of a young poet, but also as an indication that Stephen fully understands neither the woman to whom his poem is addressed, nor the complexity of his own feelings.

Metaphor in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle

The title " Cat's Cradle " refers to a children's game in which the player makes an intricate pattern of X's by weaving a piece of string between his or her fingers. It also functions as an important metaphor in Vonnegut's novel, which follows the attempts of a nameless writer to research Dr. Felix Hoenikker: a scientist who (in the story in the book) helped invent the atomic bomb. The writer reaches out to Hoenikker's son, Newt, who tells him that on the day the Americans dropped the bomb—Dr. Hoenikker's invention—on Hiroshima, his father attempted to play cat's cradle with him. For some inexplicable reason, the game terrified Newt. The adult Newt explains:

"For maybe a hundred thousand years or more, grownups have been waving tangles of string in their children's faces... No wonder kids grow up crazy. A cat's cradle is nothing but a bunch of X's between somebody's hands, and little kids look and look and look at all those X's... No damn cat, and no damn cradle."

It's clear that even as an adult, cat's cradle retains a special significance for Newt: his father used the game as a diversion, lacking in substance and meaning, to distract himself and his son from the terrible reality of the bomb. Later on in the novel, Newt discovers that his sister, Angela, is abused by her husband. Referencing the way Angela hides her unhappiness and lies about her husband's behavior, Newt asks, "See the cat? See the cradle?" In doing so, he compares Angela's efforts to hide her husband's violence to their father's efforts to hide his own acts of violence (using cat's cradle as a distraction). Newt insightfully connects children's games to the games adults play with themselves. In short, cats cradle becomes an elaborate metaphor for evading the truth, and the way that people then become trapped and entangled in those evasions.

Examples of Metaphor in Song Lyrics

Metaphorical comparisons often make language more memorable and more powerful, and can capture and make vivid emotions and feelings in profound, new, arresting, and often concise ways. It's no wonder, then, that musicians across genres regularly use metaphor in their song lyrics.

Metaphor in Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield"

In her most famous song, released on the album Live from Earth in 1983, Benatar compares love—in its dangerousness and its power—to a battlefield:

When I'm losing control Will you turn me away Or touch me deep inside And when all this gets old Will it still feel the same There's no way this will die But if we get much closer I could lose control And if your heart surrenders You'll need me to hold We are young Heartache to heartache we stand No promises No demands Love is a battlefield

Metaphor in Katy Perry's "Firework"

In "Firework" ( Teenage Dream , 2010), Perry uses extended metaphor to compare a firework to her lover's inner "spark" of resilience which, in the context of the song, stands in opposition to the dreary experience of life and the difficulty of communicating with others:

Do you know that there's still a chance for you? 'Cause there's a spark in you You just gotta ignite the light And let it shine Just own the night Like the Fourth of July 'Cause baby, you're a firework C'mon, show 'em what you're worth Make 'em go "Aah, aah, aah" As you shoot across the sky Baby, you're a firework C'mon, let your colors burst Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah" You're gonna leave them all in awe, awe, awe

Metaphor in The Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane"

In the title phrase "Life in the Fast Lane" ( Hotel California , 1976), "the Fast Lane" is a metaphor for a lawless, limitless, risky mindset. If you live life in the Fast Lane, it means that you are edgy, daring, and impulsive, like the couple described in the song:

Life in the fast lane, surely make you lose your mind Life in the fast lane Life in the fast lane, everything all the time Life in the fast lane Blowin' and burnin' blinded by thirst They didn't see the stop sign; Took a turn for the worse She said, "Listen, baby. You can hear the engine ring. We've been up and down this highway; haven't seen a god-damn thing." He said, "Call the doctor. I think I'm gonna crash." "The doctor say he's coming but you gotta pay in cash." They were rushing down that freeway; Messed around and got lost They didn't care they were just dyin' to get off.

The Eagles extend the metaphor of "the fast lane" into the verse following the chorus: the "stop sign" and "engine ring" are metaphors for warning signs suggesting the couple's way of living is unsustainable.

Why Do Writers Use Metaphor?

Writers, and people in general, use metaphors for countless reasons:

• They create memorable images with language.
• They help communicate personal or imaginary experiences in terms to which readers can relate.
• By connecting different spheres of experience and language, they can lead the reader to surprising and important discoveries; the figurative meaning that metaphors create can help a reader to see the world or a concept in a new way.
• They can even sometimes hide a person's lack of knowledge about the things they're discussing.

It should be noted that metaphors aren't merely additive —in other words, they aren't just meant to embellish language or "spice it up." Metaphors actually shape our understanding of the relationships between things in the world. Without even knowing it, we constantly speak and think in metaphors.

Other Helpful Metaphor Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Metaphor: An in-depth explanation of metaphor, its history, and how it relates to other figures of speech.
• The Dictionary Definition of Metaphor: A basic definition and etymology of the term—it comes from the Greek metaphora, meaning "a transfer."
• 99 Metaphors for Love: ThoughtCo's compendium of 99 love metaphors that span genres and centuries.
• A very worthwhile, very 1980s music video of Pat Benatar singing her metaphorically-titled song "Love is a Battlefield."
• The opening scene of Disney's Aladdin, in which Jafar learns he must find the "diamond in the rough"—a metaphorical riddle, the answer to which is Aladdin himself: a "gem" amongst the low-class riffraff.

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31 Metaphor Activities for Your Classroom

Metaphor is arguably the most ubiquitous and layered of literary devices. Expressing images, emotions, actions, experiences, and nuances through direct and indirect comparisons, metaphors enrich a text and reveal the deeper significance of what is being described.

However, practicing this in the classroom can be a challenge. Which texts should you work with? Which examples best show the writer’s use of metaphor?

At eNotes, we’re committed to providing you with quality classroom activities to help you and your students expand your appreciation of literary texts. That’s why we’re now offering metaphor activities, in addition to our lesson plans , as part of our Teacher Subscription .

Each activity gives your students opportunities to examine and analyze metaphors from specific texts. We provide examples of metaphors from each play, poem, or short story for your students to examine and analyze. (And we also include an answer key!)

We’ll continue to create more in the future, but for now, enjoy these 31 metaphor activities to use in your classroom.

1. Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen

In “Anthem for Doomed Youth,” Wilfred Owen’s descriptive imagery and evocative metaphors praise soldiers’ sacrifices and condemn the destructive nature of war. Owen conveys his themes through metaphorical language.

2. Araby by James Joyce

James Joyce’s “Araby” employs a rich array of metaphors to convey the young protagonist’s evolving experiences of delight, desire, and disenchantment as he resolves to go to the market at Araby to find a gift for a girl he fancies.

3. A Valediction: Forbidding Morning by John Donne

John Donne wrote this poem for his wife, Anne, shortly before leaving the country. Donne describes their unflagging marital bond with elaborate metaphors of death, astronomy, alchemy, gilding, and the sweeping movements of a drafting compass.

4. Bartleby, the Scrivener by Herman Melville

One of Herman Melville’s best-known works, “Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street” follows the tale of an enigmatic copyist named Bartleby, drawing on an eclectic range of metaphors to render this surreal Wall Street parable.

5. Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Emily Dickinson

“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” is one of Emily Dickinson’s signature poems. Dickinson uses unforgettable metaphors to approach her weighty subject matter—the speaker’s carriage ride with Death—with style and subtlety.

6. Bright Star! by John Keats

Throughout John Keats’s sonnet “Bright Star!,” the speaker uses metaphors to engage his environment, activating the stars, sea, and snow as actors in his interior drama as he expresses his desire to be as unchanging and eternal as the north star.

7. Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold

Matthew Arnold penned “Dover Beach” while on honeymoon with his wife, and, indeed, the speaker of the poem addresses his “love” as he looks out over the shores of Dover, employing a range of metaphorical language to portray his vision of a desolate, unimaginable future.

8. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray

Arguably the finest elegy in English literature, Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” uses metaphor to describe the setting, to contrast the lives of the poor with those of the rich and powerful, and to depict death as a shared experience.

9. Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti

At first glance, Christina Rossetti’s poem “Goblin Market” takes the form of a cautionary tale for children. However, Rossetti’s use of metaphorical language intimates deeper meanings to be gleaned from this fairy-tale parable about a walk in the woods that takes an uncanny turn.

10. Macbeth (Act I, Scene III) by William Shakespeare

In act I, scene III of Shakespeare’s Macbeth , Banquo and Macbeth hear the witches’ prophecy and are left to discuss what happened after the witches depart, using a wide range of metaphors to make sense of the prophecies and the revelation that Macbeth is now the Thane of Cawdor.

11. Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield

Katherine Mansfield’s short story “Miss Brill” unfolds as a stream of Miss Brill’s consciousness, employing metaphors that offer insight into her character and hint at just how deeply she longs for a connection to those around her.

12. Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats

In John Keats’s “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” the speaker studies the figures and scenes painted along the sides of an ancient Greek urn. The richness and subtlety of Keats’s metaphors convey a connection to what is truly timeless in human life.

13. Ode on Melancholy by John Keats

John Keats describes the relationship between sadness and joy in “Ode on Melancholy.” Keats’s metaphors express how melancholy leads to experiences of both joy and beauty, suggesting the necessary role of sorrow in life.

14. Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats

“Ode to a Nightingale” follows the thoughts of Keats’s speaker as he struggles with the burden of mortality, seeking strategies to cope with it—oblivion, revelry, poetic bliss—through rich, often allusive metaphors that convey his flights of imagination and storms of emotion.

15. Patterns by Amy Lowell

From the first stanza, Amy Lowell’s “Patterns” follows a conceit—her restrictive dress and the stifling social conventions of her milieu confine her life to a specific pattern—and employs descriptive metaphors to expound upon her narrator’s emotions.

16. Sonnet 60 by William Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s best-known poems are his 154 sonnets, the majority of which focus on the speaker’s love for a young man. Against this backdrop, the speaker in Sonnet 60 develops vivid metaphors to confront the destructive and intractable force of time.

17. Spring by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay’s 1921 poem “Spring” turns the typical pastoral poem on end with its unsentimental attitude, conveying its themes and dark humor through memorable metaphors such as “April / Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.”

18. Spring-Watching Pavilion by Ho Xuan Huong

In “Spring-Watching Pavilion,” Ho Xuan Huong takes up one of her essential themes: the critique of organized religion. Huong uses vivid metaphors to convey the ubiquity and futility of religions, whose wave-like bells render “heaven upside-down in sad puddles.”

19. Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving

Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” follows the titular Rip as he wanders off into the woods, falls into a deep sleep, and awakens twenty years later. Irving brings his full facility for metaphor to enrich his descriptions of the landscapes and the lively people who inhabit them.

20. The Darkling Thrush by Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy’s “The Darkling Thrush” is a poem about historical change, and the speaker uses metaphors to imbue the scenery with deeper historical and cultural implications as he stares out at a barren winter landscape.

21. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe

Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” is built on metaphors, particularly that of the “House of Usher,” which refers to the house itself and to the family therein. As the narrator observes, the Ushers’ descent into madness mirrors the decay and collapse of the estate around them.

22. The Fish by Marianne Moore

Moore’s “The Fish” employs startling images, rich metaphors, and original verse forms to draw unexpected connections and push our imaginations into fresh territory. The speaker inspects a tidal scene, studying the marine life and the surf with a curiosity tinged with melancholy.

23. The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield

Katherine Mansfield brings subtle layers of metaphor and nuance into all of her work, and “The Garden Party” is characteristically imbued with well-crafted metaphors that display Mansfield’s breadth of knowledge and sharpness of eye.

24. The Lady with the Pet Dog by Anton Chekhov

Chekhov’s short story “The Lady with the Pet Dog” is a love story about two unhappily married people who find one another while on vacation in Yalta. After Anna leaves, Gurov can’t keep her out of his mind, employing metaphors to express his feelings about the affair and his love for Anna.

25. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot

T. S. Eliot’s poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” uses metaphors to transform the streets of London into an unsettling dreamscape where evening is an “etherised patient” and fog is a prowling yellow cat.

26. The Lucy Poems by William Wordsworth

Wordsworth’s five Lucy poems focus on the speaker’s love for a beautiful young English woman and employ numerous elements of Romanticism, including expressive metaphors that emphasize Lucy’s beauty, the beauty of nature, and the presence of death.

27. The Maldive Shark by Herman Melville

Herman Melville’s humorous poem teases and satirizes a shark, using metaphor to bring an imaginative and sardonic voice to the speaker’s critique of the shark’s monstrous appearance, laziness, and lack of intelligence.

28. The Moon by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “The Moon” is a lyrical description of the rising moon that uses metaphor to convey the moon’s dissatisfaction and restlessness as it roams the heavens, ultimately failing to acquire a distinct identity or end its searching.

29. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant depicts the life of a charming young woman who dreams of luxuries beyond her means. Maupassant laces the short story with metaphors that bring the characters—their desires, misunderstandings, and struggles—to life.

30. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

In “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” Samuel Taylor Coleridge weaves a fantastic tale that features a series of dramatic events, many of them eerie and supernatural. Coleridge’s poem employs striking imagery and metaphor to depict the events that forever change the mariner’s life.

31. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

“The Tell-Tale Heart” features many of the Poe’s signature elements—a gothic setting, a deranged narrator, and a suspenseful plot—to create a sense of horror. As the narrator’s hallucinations take hold, Poe’s use of metaphor emphasizes the narrator’s insanity and the uncanny atmosphere in which the plot unfolds.

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What is a Metaphor?

A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that denotes a certain object or idea is applied to another word or phrase to imply some similarity between them.

• A refrigerator is very cold. In this example, “refrigerator” is a metaphor because it is being applied to “the inside of the car” to imply that the inside of the car was very cold.

• A bottomless pit can never be filled. In this example, “bottomless pit” is a metaphor because it is being applied to “the teenage boy’s stomach” to imply that his appetite could never be satisfied (that is, his stomach could never be filled).

Why Use a Metaphor?

Speakers and writers use metaphors for several reasons:

• Metaphors can help readers or listeners to better understand something about the object or idea to which the metaphor is being applied.
• Metaphors can make speaking and writing more lively and interesting.
• Metaphors can communicate a great deal of meaning with just a word or a phrase.
• Metaphors, because they imply rather than directly state relationships, can get listeners and readers to think about what they are hearing or reading.

Some More Metaphors

Depending on what you are trying to communicate when writing or speaking, just about any word or phrase can be used as a metaphor. Here are some sentences in which a metaphor is used. In each sentence, the metaphor appears in bold print. What the metaphor implies is shown after each sentence.

• The teacher got to the bottom of the problem. (This implies that the teacher got to the source of the problem.)
• My dad was boiling mad . (This implies that my dad was very, very angry.)
• His idea was difficult to swallow . (This implies that his idea was hard to accept.)
• The homework was a breeze . (This implies that the homework was very easy to do.)
• They showered the birthday girl with gifts. (This implies that they gave the girl many gifts.)
• My memory of the event is foggy . (This implies that my memory of what happened was unclear.)
• Her dog, Jake, was the sunshine of her life. (This implies that Jake was the brightest or best part of her life.)
• Mary stole the spotlight with her performance. (This implies that Mary’s performance made her the center of attention.)
• If I were you, I would steer clear of that topic. (This implies that you should stay away from that topic.)
• After graduating from college, William decided to market himself as a computer specialist. (This implies that William decided to present himself as a computer specialist when looking for a job.)
• Alice was thrilled when her idea began to bear fruit . (This implies that Alice’s idea produced results.)
• I knew he was just joking because I could see a smile sprouting from the edges of his lips. (This implies that a smile was forming and growing.)
• Helen and Maria hatched a plan to help Maria become president of her class. (This implies that Helen and Maria came up with a plan.)
• Each year, a new crop of students entered Harrison High School. (This implies that each year a new group of students entered whose skills and abilities would grow during their years at Harrison.)
• The suspect clammed up when the police began to ask him questions about where he had been the night of the crime. (This implies that the suspect shut his mouth and said nothing.)

A Strategy for Using Metaphors

• Identify what it is you want to communicate about that object or idea. You want to bring out how beautiful the sunset is.
• Identify another object or idea that strongly implies what you want to communicate. You decide that the idea of “painted” would be a good way to communicate the beauty of the sunset.
• Construct a sentence in which you link the idea of painted with sunset. For example, you could write or say, “The sunset painted the sky with vibrant colors.”

Congratulations! You have just used painted as a metaphor.

Using metaphors when you write and speak will allow you to communicate more effectively and in a more interesting way.

200 Short and Sweet Metaphor Examples

A metaphor is a word or phrase that is used to make a comparison between two things. They can be very useful, and we use them all the time in daily conversation, and we do not even realize it! Let’s look at a few examples with a list of metaphors in various situations:

Examples of Metaphors for Love

• Love is a nutrient
• Love is a journey
• Love is a fluid in a container
• Love is fire
• Love is an economic exchange
• Love is a natural force
• Love is a physical force
• Love is a captive animal
• Love is war
• Love is a social superior
• Love is rapture
• Love is a thrill ride
• Love is a fine wine
• Love is a garden
• Love is a battlefield
• Love is an experiment
• Love is a fragile flower opening to the warmth of spring
• Love is a lemon – either bitter or sweet

Examples of Metaphor from Famous People

• “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo Picasso
• “Conscience is a man’s compass.” – Vincent Van Gogh
• “Chaos is a friend of mine.” – Bob Dylan
• “ All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.” – Albert Einstein

Examples of Common Metaphors

Examples of popular metaphors.

• “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare
• “ I am the good shepherd…and I lay down my life for the sheep.” – The Bible, John 10:14-15
• “All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind.” – Khalil Gibran
• “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust
• “And your very flesh shall be a great poem .” – Walt Whitman
• “Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.” – George Orwell
• “Dying is a wild night and a new road.” – Emily Dickinson
• “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” – William Wordsworth

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⇒ 1 Introduction to Metaphors

⇒ 2 What is a metaphor, grammatically speaking?

⇒ 3 Metaphors as a way to think

⇒ 4 Types of metaphors and their origins

⇒ 5 Metaphors in advertising and politics

⇒ 6 Module discussion/reflection activity

⇒ 7 Key points

⇒ 8 Key concepts

Watch the video introducing this module ⇒ (coming soon)

1 introduction to metaphors.

Module preview questions

When you hear the word “metaphor” what comes to your mind? What examples can you think of? What is the difference between ‘metaphorical’ and ‘literal’? What is ‘metaphorical thinking’?

Life is a beach

Love is a battlefield

Laughter is the best medicine

The literal meaning of ‘life is a beach’ is that a life actually is a beach, which is a physical impossibility, so if someone uses the metaphor they intend to compare ‘life’ with the associations and connotations of the word beach, for example, that it is relaxing and enjoyable. A literal interpretation of language means that only the denotation of the word – its exact definition – are understood. Literal uses are normally contrasted with figurative  uses, which tend towards connotations, associations, and metaphors. Fictional characters like Drax the Destroyer from Guardians of the Galaxy, or Data from Star Trek are portrayed as having difficulty understanding figurative uses and take everything literally, presumably because they are not human. Using and understanding metaphors, figurative uses, and connotative meanings is deeply human, which means that we wouldn’t expect aliens or animals to do it.

One of the most famous metaphors in the world that you might have heard is “All the world’s a stage” which was created by Shakespeare in his famous comedy “As You Like It” ( 1998 ). In this metaphor, Shakespeare connects two different things together: ‘the world’ and ‘a stage’. He does not imply that the world is literally a stage where actual theatrical performances take place. Rather he implies that some qualities of the stage, like people acting or performing for an audience, can be transferred as a frame or a lens to help us better understand the world. Going through life and all its motions – birth, marriage, parenthood, heartbreak and death etc. are akin to different performances that we give for other humans, our audiences. Thus they have an unreal, or transitory quality to them and shouldn’t, perhaps, be taken too seriously. Through this transference of “stage” onto the “world”, Shakespeare enables us to see the world and our place in it in a new light.

Another common example equates humans with animals, for example “he is a pig” and “she is a fox”; in both examples, the common meaning of the terms pig and fox are modified in the act of predication (the act of linking the terms to the subjects he and she). When the metaphor “he is a pig” is used to describe one’s roommate, this does not imply that the roommate has four legs, a curly tail, and a snout nose; instead, it means that the roommate exhibits certain behaviors that can be associated with the animal labeled with the term pig. (Jasinski 2001, p.257).

• A metaphor is a rhetorical device that enables us to connect two disparate words, concepts or things together such that some sort of transference of qualities or activity takes place from one to the other. The most basic forms of metaphor equate a newer, more abstract idea with something more familiar and concrete, so that the abstract idea can be conceptualized more easily.

Activity 1. Metaphor Basics

B. Animals are considered symbolic in nearly every culture on the planet. In some cultures, if you see a particular animal at some moment, it has a meaningful connection to something that is troubling you. Read about animal symbolism here: https://skullbliss.com/blogs/news/animal-symbolism

What human qualities are ascribed to animals? Think of 5 adjectives that are invariably associated with 5 different animals and used metaphorically to describe humans.

2 What are metaphors, grammatically speaking?

Metaphors can be expressed in many different ways, but perhaps the most prototypical form is:

NOUN – linking verb – NOUN

where the first noun is the subject and the noun following the linking verb is called the subject complement . In use, the subject noun is the known concept, and the complement is the new concept. The linking verb bridges the two concepts, and can be thought of as an equal sign.

• That puppy is a little piglet, he eats so much. (puppy = piglet)
• I am an open book . (I = book)
• The school has become a prison . (school = prison)

A linking verb is a verb like ‘is’ (a form of BE), ‘appears’, ‘becomes’, ‘sounds (like)’, or ‘looks (like)’. It contrasts with a transitive verb  because the word that follows the linking verb describes the subject, rather than functioning as the object, that is, the thing that receives the action of the verb. In ‘I read a book’ or ‘The school replaced a prison’, ‘book’ and ‘prison’ are objects, not subject complements, because the verbs ‘read’ and ‘replace’ are transitive.

Other parts of speech like adjectives can be used in metaphors as well, for example as attributive adjective

ADJ – NOUN

before a noun or with comparative phrases like

as – ADJ – as or ADJ – er than a NOUN

for example:

• The US is thought of as a melting pot . (US = melting pot)
• She’s as brave as a lion . (She = brave lion)
• The walk-in freezer is c older than a Chicago January . (freezer cold > Chicago January cold)

Metaphors do not need to be expressed with subject complements, however, it is simply a prototypical form. Verbs can be used in metaphors too, along with other parts of speech, in many different ways, e.g.:

• We were drowning in debt . 
• I ran out of time …

2. Key points

• Metaphors can be expressed in many different ways, but perhaps the most basic form is: NOUN – linking verb – NOUN, where the first noun is the subject and the noun following the linking verb is called the subject complement.
• Other parts of speech like adjectives can be used in metaphors as well, for example as attributive adjectives (‘ADJ – NOUN’)  before a noun or with comparative phrases like ‘as – ADJ – as’ or ‘ADJ-er than a’.
• Verbs can be used in metaphors too, along with other parts of speech, in different ways.

Activity 2. Grammar of metaphors

3: Metaphors as a way to think

Because of the way most of us are introduced to metaphors in school, we may think that they are simply garnishes or superficial beautification devices that help make our writing pretty. This is called the ornamental view of metaphors . Think of how many times in your own English classes that your teachers asked you to identify metaphors that a poet uses and reflect on why they have used them. Literary analysts can look at something an author has written and interpret it to mean something that the author may not have even realized or intended; writing and stories can reflect deeper truths about an author, the topics of their stories, and their historical contexts. We may therefore think that only literature students and creative writers need to pay attention to metaphors. In truth, however, metaphors are fundamental to how we think, communicate, teach, and relate to one another.

3.1 Conceptual Metaphor Theory

A lot of contemporary psychologists and neuroscientists argue that metaphors are not just ornamental devices but actually central to the very way in which our brains process information. One theory on this notion is conceptual metaphor theory , pioneered by cognitive linguists George Lakoff and Mark Johnson (2003).

If you have time and interest, watch this video to learn more: Metaphors we live by Lakoff and Johnson

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYcQcwUfo8c&t=391s

Lakoff and Johnson assert that “human thought processes are largely metaphorical. … The human conceptual system is metaphorically structured and defined” (Lakoff and Johnson 2003:6). Essentially what they mean is that metaphors relate two objects or concepts that may not be naturally associated. By doing this, they condition us to perceive and experience one thing in terms of another. As Jasinski (2001) puts it, “The force (of a) metaphor arises from its ability to help us Iook at something in a new way” (242).  One of the most famous examples discussed by Lakoff and Johnson, which you saw in the video, is ARGUMENT IS WAR (note that the theory states metaphors using capital letters). When we use language, the many connotations and associations of this metaphor serve to invoke it and reinforce it as a way of conceptualizing the domains.

Conceptual Domain A (ARGUMENT) → Conceptual Domain B (WAR) 

• Your claims are indefensible .
• He attacked every weak point in my argument.
• His criticisms were right on target . I demolished his argument.
• I’ve never won an argument with him.
• You disagree? Okay, shoot !
• If you use that strategy, he’ll wipe you out .
• He shot down all of my arguments.

(Lakoff and Johnson, 2003, p.5)

In the above example, the overarching conceptual metaphor that connects these two concepts ( ARGUMENT, WAR ) enables the transference of a wide range of adjective s (indefensible, weak point), verbs (attacked, demolished, won, shoot, wipe you out), as well as other nouns (target), fr om conceptual domain B (WAR) to another domain A (ARGUMENT). This makes us perceive domain A (ARGUMENT) in terms of domain B (WAR) and we start to believe that argument actually is war. Think about it. It’s not objective or natural to think that arguments necessarily need to be combative and aggressive, but many cultures today unfortunately conceptualize them as such because of this underlying metaphor that has conditioned all of us.

What if we lived in a culture that thought of arguments as not war but something else? Lakoff and Johnson (2003) challenge us to:

“​​Imagine a culture where an argument is viewed as a dance, the participants are seen as performers, and the goal is to perform in a balanced and aesthetically pleasing way. In such a culture, people would view arguments differently, experience them differently, carry them out differently, and talk about them differently. But we would probably not view them as arguing at all: they would simply be doing something different. It would seem strange even to call what they were doing “arguing.” Perhaps the most neutral way of describing this difference between their culture and ours would be to say that we had a discourse form structured in terms of battle and they had one structured in terms of dance” (p.5).

Metaphors even affect our thinking at a deep neurological level. In a study by Lacey et al. (2012 ), neuroscientists found the use of metaphors activates brain areas that are different from when the same meaning is conveyed in a non-metaphorical way. When participants were presented with two sentences “he had a rough day” versus “he had a bad day”, the first sentence, which has a physical, textural metaphor of “roughness”, activated the part of their brains which is associated with texture! The second sentence which does not carry any physical or textural metaphors did not cause any such activations. Through this they concluded that using metaphorical language can actually impact people at the neurological level.

3. Key points

• Contemporary psychologists and neuroscientists argue that metaphors are not just ornamental devices but actually central to the very way in which our brains process information.
• In conceptual metaphor theory, metaphors relate two objects or concepts that may not be naturally associated. By doing this, they condition us to perceive and experience one thing in terms of another.

Activity 3. Dancing arguments and valuable time

B. Imagine that we conceptualized argument as dance and said things like: 

• His words synchronized perfectly with his partner.
• Their argument dazzled everyone and filled the audience with joy.
• The rhythm of their argument brought everyone together.

What are some other things people might say having to do with arguments if it were conceptualized as dance?

C. Think about the conceptual metaphor TIME IS MONEY, expressed in sentences like “You are wasting my time” and “I don’t have enough time to spare”.

• What other things do people say that reflect this metaphor?
• How do you think TIME IS MONEY shapes people’s perceptions and behavior?

What might be some different metaphors for time or money that would change our understanding of them?

D. Think of another metaphor you see around you. It could be on social media or in the newspaper, or just in the ways in which people speak around you. Think about how it shapes your perception or behavior. What is it? How is it expressed in language use and people’s behavior?

4: Types of metaphors and their origins

As must be clear to you by now, metaphors are created by joining two words that don’t really go along with each other in conventional language. Think of “rose” and “love”. There is no natural, intuitive connection between a botanical entity – a flower called Rose or Rosa Polyantha and a human emotion and social phenomenon – love. However, through repeated use of the metaphor ROSES ARE LOVE in literature, art, and language use we have come to consider them as deeply connected. We can classify such connections based on different parameters – size, depth, and originality.

A metaphor can be used at a very small scale , where it is applied only in the immediate context of use. Think of a sentence like “The protagonist felt blue”, reflecting the metaphor SADNESS IS BLUE. The impact of this metaphor would be restricted just to a fleeting event in a larger narrative, and metaphorical meaning is encapsulated in just the word ‘blue’ (although it may reflect a deeper metaphor that EMOTIONS ARE COLORS, which the 2015 film ‘Inside Out’ played on). However, metaphors can also be used at a very large scale and impact a whole culture’s understanding of a phenomenon. Think of the phrase ‘holy war’, which has been used by various religious warmongers across the world (Christian crusades, Islamic jihad etc.) to justify their violent acts as acceptable. This may originate in logical entailments of metaphors like GOD IS ONE and GOD IS HOLY, that other gods must therefore be profane and their worshippers should be destroyed.  Some large scale, deep metaphors have become so ingrained into our cultures that we can barely perceive them as metaphors at all. For example, “This is a hard concept to grasp” reflects the metaphor that IDEAS ARE SUBSTANCES; we often compare intellectual concepts to physical texture and think of them as “hard” or “soft”. This has been used so extensively over the ages that it becomes difficult for us to realize that it is in fact a metaphor and that at some point long ago it may not have been seen as ‘natural’ at all.

Some metaphors are very explicit about the two words or things they connect and can be spotted on the surface of a sentence, for example, in “America won the space race with the Soviet Union”. Here it is clear that the word ‘space’ is being metaphorically connected to the word ‘race’ and both are present in the sentence itself. However, in some cases the metaphors are deep , hidden under the surface of a sentence and not obvious. Often this happens subconsciously. In the famous Biblical phrase: “The Lord is my shepherd”, it seems that “Lord” is being metaphorically connected to the word “shepherd”, but there is also a more hidden or implied metaphor that the person represented by the word “my”, which is a stand-in for all humans, is a sheep. Thus, more explicitly the metaphor is HUMANS ARE SHEEP, and so they are innocent, vulnerable, and child-like, and thus need protection.

As another example, the metaphor hidden under “my partner and I decided to go our separate ways” is difficult to tease out. If we consider the figurative meaning we recognize that what is being spoken about is a breakup, and that a breakup is like going two separate ways. This surface metaphor is enabled by two deeper metaphors that LIFE IS A JOURNEY and LOVE IS A JOURNEY. Another surface form reflecting these same underlying metaphors might be “I can’t wait to go down this path with you”; however, we’d have to be careful to whom and how we say it, since it can be interpreted as reflecting either or both metaphors at the same time. When using a metaphor to tell a story or make an argument, mixing them can be confusing because of conflicting associations. The metaphor love is a journey implies that it has an ending, which conflicts with the metaphor LOVE IS ENDLESS.

Metaphors originate from people trying to explain new things and experiences that their audiences may not understand if they were explained in literal terms; some metaphors are very original  while others are conventional. Much of the language we use–some linguists say all—has metaphorical origins. The computer mouse, for example, was named a ‘mouse’ because it looked like one, but now many have evolved to look nothing like mice, and a ‘mousepad’ or ‘to mouse over’ would be difficult to comprehend for someone who knew what mice were but not computers. Artists, writers, and thinkers continually generate new metaphors, drawing two or more seemingly unrelated ideas together and challenging us to imagine new ways of seeing and being in the world by connecting them. Perhaps this is why British poet P.B. Shelley said that “poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world,” because they continuously replenish language with new metaphors, and metaphorically speaking, maybe METAPHORS ARE LAWS that guide our thoughts.

• If you have the time and interest, read or listen to this podcast about ‘Words That Began as Metaphors’, including the word ‘metaphor’ itself! https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-matters-podcast/episode-73-began-as-metaphors
• If you want to learn how to create metaphors, read this: https://aeon.co/essays/how-to-build-a-metaphor-to-change-people-s-minds

4. Key points

• Metaphors can be of many types and can be classified based on different parameters – scale, depth, and originality.
• In terms of scale, a metaphor can be used either at a very small scale, where it is applied only in the immediate context of use or it can be used at a very large scale, where it can impact a whole culture’s understanding of a phenomenon.
• In terms of depth, a metaphor can be explicitly visible at the surface of the words used to express it or it can be hidden beneath many layers of implied meaning.
• In terms of originality, a metaphor can be conventional, i.e. something that is very common in a language or culture, or it can be innovative, i.e. something that has rarely been used by anyone.

Activity 4. Said another way

C. How are common colors, seasons/weather, animals, and emotions used metaphorically? Find a song lyric, a poem, or a work of art that reflects a metaphor.

5: Metaphors in advertising and politics

Many metaphors are so deeply ingrained in our cultures and ways of thinking that it is difficult to know when one is simply being used because it is widely understood, or if it is being used for propaganda purposes, that is, with the ulterior motive of influencing opinions, behaviors, or worldviews. The fields of advertising and marketing are well-known for their use of certain ‘subliminal’ or ‘subconscious’ techniques to influence consumers’ buying habits; since the end of the 19th century, their basic modus operandi has been to create and reinforce metaphors associating their product with basic desires and insecurities towards beauty, cleanliness, safety, health, and success. Watch Edward Bernays’ Torches of Freedom to learn how cigarettes were marketed successfully to women in the early 20th century by associating them with power:

5A: How cigarettes became a symbol of power in films, a video essay by Sana Saeed for her series Pop Americana pubslihed in AJ+ on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDS11IZP4PE

If you have the time and interest, read how the flavor of mint was associated with freshness – an association that is in no way natural.

• https://www.vox.com/2014/12/1/7309499/mint-fresh-breath

Jasinski (2001) gives a really hard-hitting (notice how this is a metaphor too!) example of how metaphors have been used to create propaganda  in the real world, propaganda being understood as biased information that promotes a particular perspective. In 1999, Ron Hampton, the executive director of the National Black Police Association asked the US American public to reflect on how certain political sloganeering may be impacting the high rate of police brutality in the US:

“This militarization of police work started a long time ago. It began with the use of terms like “war on crime” and “war on drugs.” … When police officers are inundated with this kind of military training and language, they go out thinking they’re soldiers, that they are the Iine between civilization and anarchy. Pretty soon, you’re bringing your war to traffic stops and minor arrests” (qtd. In Jasinski 2001, p. 259).

While police brutality is of course a complicated issue with many reasons, could the language use that surrounds police culture be contributing to it? What would happen if fighting crime, illegal drug trade, and drug use were conceptualized using other metaphors than ‘war’?

In a study by Stanford psychologists Lera Boroditsky and Paul Thibodeau, several participants were given paragraphs describing the rising crime rates in a fictional city. While some of the participants were given paragraphs that used the metaphor of CRIME IS A BEAST that preys on the community, others were given paragraphs that described CRIME IS A VIRUS that plagues the community. Then participants were asked which of two ways of dealing with crime they would support for this city: greater policing and cracking down on criminals, or greater social reform. How do you think the choice of metaphors might have impacted the participants’ decisions? ( Boroditsky & Thibodeau qtd. in Gorlick, 2011 )

If you have the time and interest, read the details of this study to find out what actually happened:

• https://news.stanford.edu/news/2011/february/metaphors-crime-study-022311.html

Metaphors are especially powerful when they generate implications that are coherent with a particular ideology , that is, a system of ideas and ideals about the world. When taken together, these systems of metaphors can be triggered by cognitive framing , the use of a familiar perspective or narrative to make sense of and evaluate new information. Politicians and their media arms are often very good at ‘spinning’ their words and actions into messaging coherent with their ideology through the use of cognitive framing that evoke metaphors. For example, in September 2022 in the US, conservative Florida Governor Ron Desantis had Venezuelan refugees flown to a New England island known for its vacation homes of his liberal political opponents. His actions are coherent with the metaphor IMMIGRATION IS A FLOOD, where immigrants and refugees are unwanted, threatening, and overwhelming. However, liberals in cities like Boston and New York historically populated by immigrants may understand that IMMIGRANTS ARE ORPHANED CHILDREN, reflected in Emma Lazarus’ famous poem about the Statue of Liberty , and they responded by helping the refugees. These sorts of actions (or ‘political stunts’ some might say) evoke competing metaphors and confirm the beliefs and biases of those who share the same ideologies and cognitive frames. Interestingly, the metaphors evoked by Desantis and the New Englanders fit very well with linguist George Lakoff’s cognitive framing theory about US politics, which he sums in his book ‘Don’t Think of an Elephant’. He argues that if a deep metaphor for the US A is THE NATION IS A FAMILY, then Republicans tend to see GOVERNMENT IS A STRICT FATHER, while Democrats see GOVERNMENT IS A NURTURING CARETAKER. Note that this means the Republican frame portrays Democrats as permissive mothers, while the Democrat frame presents Republicans as uncaring, negligent, and absent. Do these frames resonate with your understanding of how the two US political parties portray one another?

If you have time and interest, read more about Lakoff’s theory here:

• https://commonslibrary.org/frame-the-debate-insights-from-dont-think-of-an-elephant/

5. Key points

• Domains like advertising and politics often use hidden metaphors with an ulterior motive of influencing opinions, behaviors, or worldviews.
• Metaphors are especially powerful when they generate implications that are coherent with a particular ideology. When taken together, these systems of metaphors can be triggered by cognitive framing, the use of a familiar perspective or narrative to make sense of and evaluate new information. Politicians and their media arms are often very good at ‘spinning’ their words and actions into messaging coherent with their ideology through the use of cognitive framing.

Activity 5. Metaphors in advertising and politics

B. Think of an advertising slogan or campaign for a product that attempts to associate it with a word or an idea that is not necessarily natural (e.g. ‘You’re in good hands with Allstate’); sometimes it is even reflected in the name of the product (e.g. Dodge Ram trucks). What is the metaphor (or metaphors) behind it? (in the example cases it would be insurance = safety, or trucks = aggression)

C. What is a current social issue you feel strongly about, and how is it conceptualized by news media and politicians metaphorically? For example, is college education a privilege or a necessity? Is it a requirement to be checked off, or an enlightening journey to be taken? What do you hear about college that supports these metaphors?

If you have time and interest, here are some additional readings that might interest you:

• Erard’s “How to build a metaphor to change someone’s mind” (2015)
• Cobb’s “Why your brain is not a computer” (2020)

6. Discussion/reflection activity

Reflect on the content of this module by answering some or all of the following questions. Provide examples to support your points.

• What is a metaphor and why can it be misleading or deceptive?
• How do metaphors shape how we think? 
• What grammatical devices go into making metaphors?
• What are some advertising campaigns that have influenced you to buy something by using metaphors? 
• Can you think of a politician who has used metaphors to make the public around you do or believe something? What specifically have they said?

⇒ If you are familiar with corpus analysis, try this module’s activity: Exploring Metaphors in US immigration discourse

7. Key Points on Metaphor

1 What is a metaphor

2 What is a metaphor, grammatically speaking? 

3 Metaphor as a way to think 

4 Types of metaphors and their origins

• Metaphors can be of many types and can be classified based on different parameters – size, depth, and originality.

5 Metaphors in advertising and politics 

8. Key Concepts on Metaphors

• attributive adjective
• cognitive framing
• competing metaphors
• conceptual metaphor theory
• connotation
• depth of metaphor
• figurative meaning
• linking verb
• literal meaning
• originality of metaphor
• ornamental view of metaphors
• scale of metaphor
• subject complement
• transitive verb

Know this vocabulary? Test your knowledge in this crossword puzzle .

⇒ bibliography

Last updated: 5 November 2022

This independent module is from Critical Language Awareness: Language Power Techniques and English Grammar , an open educational resource offered by the Clarify Initiative , a privately funded project with the goal of raising critical language awareness and media literacy among students of language and throughout society.

a rhetorical device that enables us to connect two disparate words, concepts or things together such that some sort of transference of qualities or activity takes place from one to the other

the most obvious, concrete, or actual sense of a word

an association or suggestion of a word or idea

the literal or actual meaning of a word

the symbolic or metaphorical sense of a word, as opposed to its literal or denotative sense

a word that is a person, place, thing, or concept;  grammatically speaking, the part of speech comprised of these words

Linguistically speaking, a subject is the actor, doer, or primary noun or pronoun of a clause. In English it comes first.

a word or phrase that comes after a linking verb (e.g. 'is') that describes, or is equatable, to the subject

a verb like 'be', 'become', 'seem', 'appear', 'smell', 'taste', etc. that is followed by a subject complement

a verb that requires or takes an object, like most uses of 'eat', 'speak', or 'see'

an adjective that comes directly before the noun that it modifies, as opposed to a predicative adjective, which comes after a linking verb

a words that describe an action, state, or occurrence; grammatically speaking, the part of speech comprised of these words

the view that metaphors are extra, superfluous, or not fundamental

the theory that metaphors are fundamental to how humans conceptualize the world and their existence in it

the size of what a metaphor refers to -- from a single situation (small) to a larger, broader phenomenon (large)

refers to whether a metaphor is obviously stated (shallow) or if it points to a deeper understanding (deep)

refers to whether a metaphor is newly invented by a user or is conventionally understood

Information that deliberately promotes a particular perspective, regardless of its veracity.

a word that describes (or 'modifies') a noun; grammatically speaking, the part of speech that includes these words

the use of a familiar perspective or narrative to make sense of and evaluate new information

conceptual metaphors used by opposing sides of an issue or argument that may produce cognitive dissonance when juxtaposed

a system of ideas and ideals about how the world is and how it should be, e.g. liberalism, conservatism, socialism, capitalism, colonialism, etc.

Metaphor: A Language Power Technique Copyright © 2023 by Anuj Gupta, Jonathon Reinhardt, Robert Poole is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Understanding Metaphor (Definition, Examples, How to Write One)

A metaphor is a complex and beautiful way the English language can get used to communicate deep ideas or intentions. Metaphors give comparisons between two parallel text. And often allow us to comprehend objects, things, concepts, thoughts, and ideas in more robust manners due to the way it gets compared.

Let’s learn about metaphors and how they get used in the English language…

What is a metaphor?

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things that are not the same. A metaphor is a way to compare two things and say they are the same, not just similar.

This means that in a metaphor, words or phrases usually used to talk about one thing or idea are used to talk about something else that isn’t traditionally associated with that language.

Examples of metaphors in literature

• “The sun was a toddler insistently refusing to go to bed. It was past eight-thirty and still light .” – John Green; The Fault In Our Stars
• “The frosted wedding cake of the ceiling” – F. Scott Fitzgerald; The Great Gatsby
• “I’m a riddle in nine syllables” – Sylvia Plath; Metaphors
• “Hope is the thing with feathers” – Emily Dickinson; Hope
• “Behind him, sitting on piles of scrap and rubble, was the blue kite. My key to Baba’s heart.” – Khaled Hosseini; The Kite Runner

Examples of metaphors in songs

• Third floor on the West Side, me and you ; Handsome, you’re a mansion with a view – Taylor Swift; Delicate
• Say you want me out of your life; And I’m just a dead man walking tonight – 5 Seconds of Summer ; Young Blood
• Don’t you tell me what you think that I can be; I’m the one at the sail, I’m the master of my sea – Imagine Dragons; Believer
• Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold; This one for them hood girls; Them good girls, straight masterpieces – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars; Uptown Funk
• Cause baby you’re a firework – Katy Perry; Firework

Examples of metaphors in idioms

• My best friend is a walking disaster.
• Her sister was an angel incarnate.
• It rained cats and dogs last week.
• The queen swallowed her pride when the knight raised questions.
• He advised me to either bite the bullet or give it my best shot.

Learn about metaphor in this video lesson

Difference between metaphor and simile

When compared side by side to literary tropes, metaphors and similes can often be challenging to differentiate from one another. Both of these are examples of figures of speech that are used to make comparisons. Simile belongs to the category of metaphor.

However, they are differentiated by using either “like” or “as” as the connecting word. Metaphors are a way to draw direct comparisons without utilizing the terms being compared. Comparisons may be made using similes by utilizing the phrase “like” or “as.”

A metaphor is a more direct comparison (one thing is another), making it a somewhat more convincing overall argument. You should employ metaphors to drive home the point that the two items are comparable.

Understanding simile

On the other hand, a simile functions more like a suggestion than anything else. However, the text continues even after the image has been implanted in the reader’s mind. Similes are the way to go when you want to describe something but don’t want the reader to linger too long on it.

Scale is another important consideration when working with metaphors and similes. While metaphors can extend over a whole piece of writing, similes can only be used within the confines of a single line.

For instance, there are thousands of interpretations of what the film “The Matrix” is supposed to be a metaphor for. It is not very rare that you will hear someone describe a finished product as a metaphor for anything else. That would need a significant number of “likes.”

Difference between metaphor and analogy

Literary devices, such as metaphors and analogies, are tools that may be used to cement a concept in the mind of a reader. Because a metaphor is a figure of speech and an analogy is a logical argument, their applications are quite distinct from one another.

Figurative language in literature often takes the form of metaphors. A word or phrase is usually employed as a representation to create a more dramatic impression. To put it another way, the term or phrase in question refers to an item to imply a connection that is not literal.

An analogy may be used to create a logical argument by comparing two different items to convey a point. In contrast to a metaphor, a figure of speech that involves figurative language and allows one object to stand in for another, an analogy is an attempt to describe something.

Difference between metaphor and metonymy

There are many ways in which metonymy and metaphor are comparable; nonetheless, the primary distinction between the two is that whereas a metaphor replaces one idea with another, a metonymy chooses a related term.

Therefore , if metonymy refers to the association, then metaphor refers to substitution.

As an illustration, “my brother is a tiger in class” is an example of a metaphor. In this context, expressing a particular aspect of a person’s character is represented by the term “tiger,” an animal.

Understanding metonymy

Metonymy may be seen in the sentence , “the tiger called his pals to the playground.” In this case, there is no substitute; rather, the individual is compared to a tiger due to his characteristics.

One other distinction that can be made between metonymy and metaphor is that metonymy works by mixing concepts, but metaphor works by excluding ideas from consideration.

However, in the world of the psychological, metaphor and metonymy are both utilized for communicating thoughts that are significantly distinct from the original meaning of the words.

When someone uses a metonymy, the attributes associated with the original term are not carried over to the metonymy. On the other hand, in metaphor, when there is a comparison, it is based on the traits, and in the process, certain qualities are transferred from the original to the metaphor.

Synonyms for Metaphor

• Personification

Understanding metaphor, simile, personification , hyperbole

Here are the key differences between metaphor, simile, personification, and hyperbole.

Metaphor example

• My colleague’s heart of stone surprised me.
• My husband is buried in a sea of paperwork.
• Your favorite singer is a tall drink of water.
• The contest winner had stars in her eyes.
• I realized I had been living in a bubble.

Simile example

• The new doll she gifted me was as cute as a kitten.
• This neon dress is as bright as a button.
• My new badge is as shiny as a new pin.
• This garage is as big as a house.
• Your sister is as innocent as a dove.

Personification example

• The sun smiled down on the new parents .
• New York is a city that never sleeps.
• The noise coming from the storm was as loud as the howling wind.
• I wish he understood that actions speak louder than words.
• His old and battered car wouldn’t quit.

Hyperbole example

• He was so hungry, he could eat a horse.
• She may be old but she can hear a pin drop a mile away.
• The story made him die of embarrassment.
• My old colleague was as skinny as a toothpick.
• It was raining cats and dogs at the stadium.

Understanding the various types of metaphors

Let’s understand the various types of metaphors.

Implied metaphor

Comparing two dissimilar items that do not name either is called an implied metaphor .

A direct metaphor is comprised of two parts: the tenor, which is the original thought, and the vehicle, which is the notion that is being compared.

While an implied metaphor does not include the tenor, a direct metaphor includes.

• The waiter fetched food for the impatient customers.
• The host hopped from one end to the other, talking to his guests.
• I never thought I could sail through the final exams with such great numbers .
• The air has been growing older with each passing day.

Sustained metaphor

A sustained metaphor, also known as an extended metaphor , is when an author uses one metaphor or simile again and at length across a poem or tale by linking numerous tenors, vehicles, and grounds together. This type of metaphor is also known as an extended metaphor .

It is frequently used to describe a complicated concept, giving readers or listeners the ability to picture the concept using terminology that they are already familiar with.

• My friend is such a snake. Everything he hisses out of his mouth is cruel. He frightens all those around him and has no spine.
• My sister is a mama bear. She protects everyone like they are her own children. We feel safe around her.

Dead metaphor

A metaphor is said to be dead when used so frequently, repeatedly, and extensively that the original picture associated with its meaning has been forgotten.

It is not necessary to be familiar with the original connotation of a dead metaphor to comprehend its current meaning because the customary meaning of a dead metaphor differs from the original.

Literalization of a metaphor refers to the process by which a metaphor loses its original meaning over time due to semantic changes that occur naturally in the development of a language.

• My mother has a heart of gold.
• It was raining cats and dogs at the cricket stadium with his sixes.

Mixed metaphors

When two or more metaphors that cannot work together are combined into one metaphor, the result is known as a mixed metaphor.

This method often referred to as a “mixaphor,” can be utilized by characters in one of two distinct ways. It would be used purposefully or unintentionally, depending on the context of the conversation.

To put it another way, a character might provide the impression of wit if they are aware of the fact that they are mixing two sentences. They could become uneducated even when all they need is the necessary knowledge.

• We need to get all our dogs on the same page.
• Napolean also had his Watergate.

Conceptual metaphors

In the field of cognitive linguistics, the comprehension of one notion or conceptual domain in terms of another is referred to as conceptual metaphor, which is also shortened to cognitive metaphor.

Any mental structure of human experience can constitute a conceptual domain. It has been hypothesized that the mapping across conceptual domains correlates to neural mappings in the brain due to the consistency with which many languages use the same metaphors.

These metaphors are frequently based on perceptual similarities. This hypothesis has garnered a lot of attention, even though several scholars have doubts about how accurate its empirical claims are.

“Time is money”

• What do you do to spend your time?
• Yesterday’s flat tire cost me the whole day.
• I have invested a lot of time in this project.
• You are running out of time to complete this project.

How to develop and write a metaphor

Your creativity and imagination may run wild when you use metaphors . The following are some measures that you may take to help you develop an excellent metaphor:

1. Decide on a person, thing, or place to write about.

Take for instance, that you are going to compose a metaphor about a goalkeeper for a soccer game. What are some of the features that define a goalie? The goaltender needs to have a strong mentality when facing the opposing offense.

Goalies are supposed to act as a barrier that prevents opponents from scoring. Imagine your character, item, or scene using all of your senses as you think about them. This can help you create a more vivid mental image (e.g., sound, sight, smell, etc.).

2. Concentrate on the specific situation you’re expressing.

Determine the features that it possesses. Imagine that our goaltender competes in the final game against his most feared opponent.

And let’s assume this foe is a physically imposing figure of great size. How should I interpret the tone that you’re going for here? When you are describing the situation, keep this fact in mind.

3. Now, think of some more things that have the same qualities as the ones you found in the first step.

Always keep in mind how the particular circumstance reflects on your character. Is it like David taking on Goliath in our goaltender situation? No, that has been attempted way too many times before.

Perhaps the goaltender is analogous to a young seal being pursued by a dangerous shark as it gets closer and closer. That’s not the kind of person we want our goaltender to be, so we can’t have him doing that. We want him to be unshakeable when confronted with his adversary.

What about the goaltender being compared to the uncharted depths of the ocean? This may provide you with many ideas for your goalie’s character, particularly his more profound thoughts, and ideals.

4. Take your existing metaphor and develop it further.

It is not sufficient to just compare the goaltender to the ocean deep; highlight it in a way that goes beyond a single phrase to generate an image that fully encompasses the specific features.

Techniques for writing using metaphors

Here are techniques for writing metaphors.

1. By dismissing your initial ideas, you may steer clear of cliches.

When it comes to creating metaphors, you should get in the habit of dismissing the first notion that comes to mind. It’s usually the first thing that comes to mind since it compares to something you’re already familiar with.

And if it’s not foreign to you, there’s a good chance that it won’t be to your readers either. Keep in mind that the brain enjoys being surprised the most.

The phrases “armed to the teeth,” “bad to the bone,” “burning passion,” “turn a blind eye,” “the crack of dawn,” “hammering heart,” “bite the bullet,” “heart of gold,” and “blood flowing cold” are all examples of tired metaphors.

2. Think about the character and environment from your point of view.

Check to be if the analogy or comparison you’re employing in your metaphor is something that your perspective character is already familiar with. This is an excellent method for developing one’s persona as well as one’s voice.

For instance, if your character is a cook, you may use metaphors that involve food, such as “his face was a mangled platter of ham,” “she felt the singe of remorse,” or “blueberry bruises marred his flesh.”

Remember to consider the location and era of your story as well. If the setting of your story is Ancient Rome, you shouldn’t use metaphors like “the bowler-hat cave” because I’m sure people didn’t wear bowler hats back then.

3. Avoid blending the analogies.

A mixed metaphor is simply when you use two pictures not linked to one another to depict the same thing, thereby illogically merging different ideas or imagery.

When you do this, you weaken the power of both metaphors because the reader is forced to exert effort to distinguish between the aspects of the two pictures that are being compared. As an illustration, you may say, “If we want to go ahead, we’ll need to iron out the remaining bottlenecks.”

You will have a much easier time avoiding mixed metaphors if you watch for tired metaphors. We can be so used to cliché metaphors that we don’t even recognize them, making it simple to confuse them with another metaphor by accident .

4. Keep your creative fires burning.

Your imagination will be put to the test as you write metaphors. To create beautiful, original, and compelling metaphors, you must draw deeply from your own experiences.

Think about the particular image or sensation you are attempting to convey, and then think of a time in your life when you felt or recognized that image or feeling to the fullest extent.

5. When you’re reading literature, keep an eye out for analogies. Better still, read poetry.

The imagery and metaphorical language found in poetry are abundant. Reading it will condition your brain to think in this manner; the more you read , the better you’ll be able to conjure up sophisticated metaphors, and that’s a promise.

How do you recognize a metaphor in four easy steps?

Some metaphors, such as those employed in day-to-day conversation, are very easy to recognize. Finding the right one among the others might be challenging but not impossible.

Applying this straightforward, 4-step methodology can help you recognize metaphors from a mile away:

1. Smell a comparison

In the realm of comparison, each of the three figurative language devices has its place—the simile, the analogy, and the metaphor.

Therefore, the first thing you need to do to recognize a metaphor is to recognize a parallel in the text. You can tell you are in the company of a comparison literary device if there is at least one of them present.

2. Determine whether the comparison requires the use of crutches.

Similes rely on assistance. To make comparisons, they frequently use the phrases “like” and “as.” If you come across such crutches, you may deduce that the expression in question is a simile, not a metaphor.

3. Put it via the monitor that analyzes explanations.

Now that you’ve reduced your choices to just two—metaphor vs. analogy—you need to differentiate between the two. How? by taking into consideration how thoroughly the comparison is conveyed.

An analogy is a literary technique used when the author takes the time to demonstrate how two concepts are comparable to one another.

4. Examine the allegory through the lens of a microscope

You should realize by this point that the image in front of you is a metaphor. Therefore, the final phase in the framework is to dissect the metaphor and conduct an examination of the substance.

How do metaphors organize themselves?

The framework of a metaphor is comprised of the following four components:

The term “vehicle” refers to the word that is responsible for conveying the metaphor’s meaning. In the previous illustration, “Your response is crystal obvious,” the word “crystal” serves as the carrier.

What is being communicated; is the fact that the response may be grasped readily.

The basis for comparison is the relationship between two or more objects. The response, like the crystal, possesses an attribute known as transparency, also known as ground. The basis for their comparison is the degree to which they are clear.

The space that exists between the items is known as tension. The answer itself is not a crystal, unless you are at a gem exhibition, in which case you may be talking about a pun. However, the answer is not a crystal if you are not at a gem show.

Common questions asked about metaphors.

A comparison of two things that asserts that one thing is the other is what we refer to as a metaphor. As an illustration, he is a complete bore.

How are similes and metaphors distinct from one another?

Comparisons made using a simile are made indirectly using the words “like” or “as.” Direct parallels, sometimes known as metaphors, indicate that one thing is another.

The most comprehensive of the two concepts is metaphor, which may be defined as any comparison, from single lines to complete works of literature. The use of similes is restricted to sentences.

How exactly does one go about writing a good metaphor?

The most effective use of metaphors is to tie seemingly intangible ideas to concrete examples that the audience is already familiar with and can quickly grasp.

What is an extended metaphor?

An extended metaphor is one that goes on for several sentences.

What is a dead metaphor? And how can it go unnoticed?

If the audience does not need to visualize the action; dead metaphors typically go unnoticed.

Here’s how we can conclude.

Metaphors make sense

The world that we live in is imbued with meaning via metaphors. Thanks to their insight, they enable us to make sense of even the most complicated concepts.

We are fortunate to have metaphors as a means of communication because our environment may sometimes be rather challenging to comprehend.

The internet can be compared to a cloud, love can be compared to a battlefield, and time can be compared to money. Aren’t metaphors just a little bit magical?

• What’s the Difference Between Metaphor, Simile, and Analogy?
• Metaphor, Simile, and Analogy: What’s the Difference?
• How to Write Powerful Metaphors
• Making up metaphors
• What is a Metaphor?
• Conceptual metaphor
• Understanding Conceptual Metaphors
• What is a Mixed Metaphor — Definition & Examples for Writers
• Extended Metaphor: Meaning, Structure, Examples, How To Use
• Metaphor Examples: Understanding Meaning and Purpose
• Examples of Metaphors in Literature
• 20 Examples of Metaphors in Popular Songs
• 16 Metaphors, Idioms and Similes for Easy
• ‘Metaphor’ vs. ‘Simile’
• Idioms vs Metaphors in the digital world
• Simile vs. Metaphor: What’s the Difference?
• Difference Between Metaphor and Metonymy
• What is Personification — Definition and Examples for Writers
• Implied Metaphor — Definition, Purpose, & Examples

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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General Education

If you’re a writer or poet, you’ve likely heard of metaphors — and might even be a fan of using them in your own writing. Metaphors bring power, persuasiveness, and beauty to the written word.

Here, we explain what a metaphor is and list 50+ metaphor examples in literature, popular songs, famous quotations, and more. We also provide you with some tips on how to come up with unique metaphors of your own.

What Is a Metaphor?

A metaphor is a literary device and figure of speech that compares two unalike things in a non-literal manner . Usually, the two ideas being compared will have one trait in common but differ in all other respects.

Metaphors are used by writers for clarity, rhetorical effect, and emphasis; they're also used to add color to descriptions. You’ll see metaphors most often in poetry, fiction/prose, and song lyrics.

Now, how does a metaphor differ from a simile ? A simile is a type of metaphor that specifically uses the words "as" or "like" to make a comparison between two unalike things.

By contrast, metaphors do not use either of these words; rather, they will say that "A is B" to make the comparison (even though we know A is not literally the same as B).

Basically, all similes are metaphors — but not all metaphors are similes .

A Comprehensive List of 53 Metaphor Examples

For this list, we include a wide array of metaphor examples, which are divided into the following categories:

• Metaphor Examples in Literature (including an extended metaphor example )

Metaphor Examples in Famous Quotations

Metaphor examples in music, everyday metaphor examples for kids and adults, original metaphor examples.

Metaphor Examples in Literature

These metaphor examples come from famous works of fiction and poetry. We’ve also included an extended metaphor example , which is a long metaphor sustained for an entire paragraph, story, or poem (noted below).

"But thy eternal summer shall not fade" — William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18

But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

If you can look into the seeds of time, And say which grain will grow and which will not, Speak then to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favours nor your hate. — William Shakespeare, Macbeth

All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. — William Shakespeare, As You Like It

"Her mouth was a fountain of delight." — Kate Chopin, "The Storm"

"The sun was a toddler insistently refusing to go to bed: It was past eight thirty and still light." — John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

"She’s all states, and all princes, I" — John Donne, "The Sun Rising"

"Hope" is the thing with feathers— That perches in the soul— And sings the tune without the words— And never stops—at all — Emily Dickinson, "'Hope' Is the Thing With Feathers"

"The sun in the west was a drop of burning gold that slid nearer and nearer the sill of the world." — William Golding, Lord of the Flies

I’m a riddle in nine syllables, An elephant, a ponderous house, A melon strolling on two tendrils. — Sylvia Plath, "Metaphors"

Marriage is not a house or even a tent — Margaret Atwood, "Habitation"

"She was a mind floating in an ocean of confusion." — Caroline B. Cooney, The Face on the Milk Carton

Extended Metaphor Example:

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.

— Maya Angelou, "Caged Bird"

These next metaphor examples all come from quotations said or written by well-known writers, politicians, scientists, artists, and so on.

"Dying is a wild Night and a new Road." — Emily Dickinson

"Time is the moving image of eternity." ― Plato

"Books are the mirrors of the soul." — Virginia Woolf

"All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree." — Albert Einstein

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." — Pablo Picasso

"Your very flesh shall be a great poem." — Walt Whitman

"Conscience is a man’s compass." — Vincent van Gogh

"Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket." — George Orwell

"But there are many mountains yet to climb. We will not rest until every American enjoys the fullness of freedom, dignity, and opportunity as our birthright." — Ronald Reagan, Second Inaugural Address

"Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky." — Kahlil Gibran

These metaphor examples were taken from popular song lyrics.

'Cause, baby, you're a firework Come on, show 'em what you’re worth — Katy Perry, "Firework"

Fire away, fire away You shoot me down but I won't fall I am titanium — David Guetta ft. Sia, "Titanium"

You are my fire The one desire Believe when I say I want it that way — Backstreet Boys, "I Want It That Way"

I'm a genie in a bottle You gotta rub me the right way — Christina Aguilera, "Genie in a Bottle"

Life is a highway I want to ride it all night long — Tom Cochrane, "Life Is a Highway"

This section provides everyday metaphor examples for kids and adults. You’ll often hear them in day-to-day life. These metaphors are most often referred to as idioms , which are established sayings whose meanings are not deducible from the individual words within them.

While it’s fine (and perfectly normal!) to use idioms in everyday speech, they can sound clichéd in writing and should therefore be avoided.

All metaphors have been bolded (except when the entire sentence is the metaphor).

Eyes are the windows to the soul.

It’s raining cats and dogs out here!

The sound of the pouring rain was music to my ears .

Love is a battlefield.

Time is money.

He has a heart of stone .

She has the strength of an ox .

My best friend stabbed me in the back .

It’s time to face the music .

That name doesn’t ring a bell .

Our vacation plans are still up in the air .

I had to break the bank to be able to afford this car.

That exam was a piece of cake .

I like reading novels, but poetry isn’t really my cup of tea .

That toddler is one smart cookie .

Telling jokes is a good way to break the ice .

My cousin is kind of the black sheep of the family.

Finally, here’s a short list of original metaphor examples to give you an idea as to how you could come up with your own metaphors.

She was sobbing so hard that her tears soon evolved into a fountain.

The forest was a lush, emerald ocean waiting to be explored.

His eyes were bright diamonds, leading me out of the darkness.

The job interview was the final battle, and she was ready to win.

He couldn’t imagine a world without her: she was his passion, his hope.

I began to drown in a sea of memories.

Hope is the last lingering flicker of a candle.

Whenever she goes running, she becomes a cheetah chasing its prey.

How to Use Metaphors in Writing: 3 Essential Tips

Whether you’re writing a poem, a short story, or something else entirely, knowing how and when to use metaphors can help your writing stand out in a more impactful way. Here are three tips to help you use metaphors more effectively.

#1: Avoid C lichés and Common Idioms

Although we gave you tons of metaphorical idioms above, in writing you will actually want to avoid using these, as they can make your writing sound unoriginal and boring .

Using clichés in anything you write will generally signal to the reader that you’re a lazy, uninspired writer who doesn’t think that it’s worth taking the time to come up with your own unique, creative metaphors.

Your Dictionary has a long list of clichés you’ll want to avoid when you write.

The only time you might want to use a clichéd metaphor or idiom is when you’re writing dialogue for a character and want to make their speech sound more realistic . Other than this, though, definitely avoid them!

#2: Use Logical Comparisons

A metaphor compares two unalike things, and while these things should certainly be very different from each other, they still must share some clearly detectable commonality . What this means is that you can’t compare two things that are so different that the metaphor won't make any sense to the reader.

For example, if you wanted to use a metaphor to describe the rhythmic, pleasant, delicate melody of a flute, it wouldn't be logical to compare it to something harsh, uncomfortable, or irregular.

Ultimately, your metaphors should be easily understood by the reader. If you’re not sure whether the meaning of your metaphor is clear or relevant, ask a friend or family member to read it (in context) and tell you whether they were able to interpret it easily.

#3: Don’t Clutter Your Writing With Too Many Metaphors

Finally, be sure to avoid clogging up your writing with too many metaphors.

Although metaphors are great devices for emphasis and poetic effect, they can also clutter your writing with way too many comparisons and make what you’re trying to say unclear and vague.

You risk not only alienating the reader when you have so many metaphors, but also lessening the impact of each metaphor , since they’ll all start to blend together and become less memorable.

If you’re ever in doubt, consider whether it might be best to avoid placing a metaphor in a certain spot and instead see how the text reads without it. Remember as well that you only want to use your strongest metaphors !

What’s Next?

Exactly how do similes differ from metaphors ? Our in-depth guide provides a clear explanation and gives you some helpful examples of both figures of speech.

Working on a piece of fiction or trying to analyze a work for English class? Then you'll want to read up on what the most important literary devices and poetic devices are and how they work.

What is the purpose of an epilogue? Learn how epilogues work in novels and get some tips on how to write your own .

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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Metaphor: Definition and Examples

What is a metaphor, definition of metaphor.

Table of Contents

Examples of Metaphors with Explanations

Examples of metaphors using non-literal words, real-life examples of metaphors, metaphors vs similes, video lesson, why metaphors are important.

• Life is a journey.
• Love is a rose.
• Time is money.
• Her smile is sunshine.
• He is a snake.

More Examples of Metaphors

• Paul's face was a blue moon pocked with craters.
• Her eyes were darting searchlights, scanning the room for her rival.
• She is a fox.
• Dave is a bad apple.
• She gave him an icy stare.
• David sliced her down with his words.
• These waves " know " when you're off balance.
• Conscience is a man's compass. (Artist Vincent van Gogh)
• All religions, arts, and sciences are branches of the same tree. (Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein)
• John and Mary had never met. They were two hummingbirds who had also never met. (Anon)
• True friends stab you in the front. (Playwright Oscar Wilde)
• Love is an exploding cigar we willingly smoke.

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos .

(Benefit 1) Metaphors can be engaging.

• We can jumpstart innovation among the workforce.
• Please write a protein-rich one-pager for the CEO's back-to-work pack.
• Be memorable.
• Make an impact.
• Be used for emphasis.
• Make you look confident.
• Option 1 is throwing the pilot from a stricken aircraft to make it lighter.

(Benefit 2) Metaphors can aid understanding.

• During interphase, the protein binds to DNA with its elbow and then digs in with its fingers during mitosis. (Professor Leonie Ringrose)
• Our physical being is the hardware of a computer . Culture is the operating system . (Business consultant Christian Hoeferle)

(Benefit 3) Metaphors can be memorable and impactful.

• We must throw a party on our home page.
• Red Bull gives you wings.

(Risk 1) Metaphors can portray you as flippant, dull, or cheesy.

• No more putting lipstick on a pig. I need more thinking outside of the box, more blue-sky thinking. I need an idea with legs, an idea on steroids.
• Metaphors are the basil and garlic of writing.
• If it's appropriate for your business document, you can use a fresh metaphor to spice up your writing, to clarify an idea, or to make your message more memorable. But don't use two.

This page was written by Craig Shrives .

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Metaphors: Understanding, Examples & Usage

What are metaphors, how do metaphors work, why use metaphors, examples of metaphors, metaphors in literature, metaphors in everyday language, how to create your own metaphors, common pitfalls in using metaphors, metaphors vs. similes.

Imagine if words were just like paint, and you could throw them onto the canvas of your conversations to create vibrant, evocative images. That's exactly what you're doing when you use a metaphor. In this blog, we're going to explore the world of metaphors – their meaning, how they work, why we use them, and some shining examples. So whether you're a language lover, a budding writer, or simply curious, let's dive into the fascinating world of metaphors together.

A metaphor is like a secret agent in the world of language. It's undercover, blending in with ordinary words, but its mission is to spark your imagination in extraordinary ways. The definition of metaphor is a figure of speech where a word or phrase, which typically applies to one thing, is used for something else to suggest a likeness or similarity between them. It’s like saying one thing is another thing, not in a literal sense, but in a way that paints a picture in your mind.

Here are a few points to remember about metaphors:

• Not literal: A metaphor isn't literal. If someone says, "You are the sunshine of my life", they don't mean you're a giant ball of burning gas. They mean you bring joy, warmth, and light into their life.
• Creates an image: Metaphors help to create a vivid image in our minds. For example, if someone says, "The world is a stage", they're not suggesting you find yourself on a platform with a spotlight and audience. Rather, they're suggesting that life is full of performances and roles we play.
• Shows similarity: Metaphors draw a comparison or highlight a similarity. When you say, "Life is a journey", you're highlighting how life, like a journey, has its ups and downs, its start and end, and its moments of joy and struggle.

So, next time you find yourself in a chat, try spotting the metaphors. You'll be surprised at how they're everywhere, adding color and depth to our conversations.

Metaphors are like magicians pulling rabbits out of hats—they surprise us with the unexpected, making us see connections that weren't apparent at first. But how exactly do they manage to do this? Let's break down the mechanics of how metaphors work.

Every metaphor has two parts: the tenor and the vehicle .

• Tenor: The tenor is the subject of the metaphor, the thing we're trying to describe or understand in a new way. In the metaphor "My love is a rose", "my love" is the tenor.
• Vehicle: The vehicle is the image we use to convey the tenor. In the same metaphor, "a rose" is the vehicle.

What makes a metaphor work is the relationship between the tenor and the vehicle. In our example, the rose (vehicle) conveys an image of beauty, fragility, and perhaps a touch of thorns, which helps us understand the speaker's love (tenor) in a deeper, more nuanced way.

The power of metaphors lies in their ability to make us see, feel, and understand things in a fresh, unexpected way. They work by tapping into our imagination, our emotions, and our experiences, creating a bridge between the abstract and the tangible.

So next time you're struggling to explain an idea or express a feeling, why not try using a metaphor? It might just be the key to unlocking a whole new depth of understanding.

Why do we use metaphors? And more importantly, why should you consider using them? The answer is simple yet profound. Metaphors are incredibly powerful tools that can bring your thoughts, ideas, and even your emotions to life.

Let's think about it. When you say, "Time is money," you're instantly painting a vivid picture in the listener's mind. Time, like money, is valuable and finite. You're urging them to spend it wisely because once it's gone, it's gone forever. That's the power of a metaphor!

But let's break it down further. Here are three key reasons why you should consider using metaphors:

• Clarity: Metaphors can take complex, abstract ideas and make them clear and tangible. They're like a flashlight, illuminating the path to understanding.
• Emotional Impact: By connecting to our senses and experiences, metaphors can evoke strong emotions. They're not just dry, intellectual concepts—they make us feel.
• Creativity: Metaphors encourage us to think creatively and see connections that aren't immediately obvious. They're like a spark, setting our imagination on fire.

In short, metaphors can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. They make our language richer, our ideas clearer, and our emotions more powerful. So, the next time you're searching for the right words, remember—the power of metaphor is at your fingertips!

Now that we understand the power of metaphors, let's dive into the ocean of examples. Metaphors are everywhere—you just have to know where to look. Here are a few examples of metaphors that might surprise you:

• Life is a journey: By comparing life to a journey, we instantly understand that it has a beginning and an end, there are smooth paths and rocky roads, and every step brings us closer to our destination.
• Hope is a beacon: When we say hope is a beacon, we imply that it's a guiding light in the darkness, something that keeps us on track when we're lost.
• Words are knives: This metaphor suggests that words can hurt, just like knives. It's a powerful way of saying that we should be careful with our words.

If you start looking around, you'll realize that metaphors are everywhere. They're in the songs we sing, the books we read, and even in the way we talk about the weather. "It's raining cats and dogs," anyone?

But the best part about metaphors? You can create your own. With a little imagination and a keen sense of observation, you can create metaphors that are as unique as you are. So why not give it a try? You'll be surprised at what you can come up with!

Metaphors are the bread and butter of good literature. They elevate language, helping authors paint vivid pictures and convey complex emotions. Let's explore some of the ways in which authors have used metaphors to bring their words to life:

• George Orwell's "1984" : Orwell famously wrote, "War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength." This is a powerful use of the paradoxical metaphor, where he flips the definition of metaphor on its head to highlight the twisted logic of the totalitarian regime.
• Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird": The title itself is a metaphor. In the book, Atticus Finch explains to his children that it's a sin to kill a mockingbird because they do nothing but sing their hearts out for us. This metaphor is used to symbolize the idea of innocence and the wrongness of harming innocent beings.
• William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet": Shakespeare was a master of metaphors. In this classic play, Juliet is a metaphor for the sun, radiating warmth and brightness, outshining the envious moon.

These are just a few examples of how metaphors enrich literature, making it more engaging and thought-provoking. They add a layer of depth and complexity to the text, inviting readers to delve deeper and discover new interpretations. So next time you pick up a book, pay attention to the metaphors. You'll find they add color and life to the story.

Ever say you're "at the end of your rope" or "in the same boat" as someone else? That's metaphor magic right there, my friend. Metaphors are not just reserved for literary geniuses; they form an integral part of our everyday language, adding spice to our conversations. Here are some examples:

• Time is money: This metaphor compares time to a valuable resource, implying that we should use it wisely. We can't store it, so you better spend it well!
• He's a night owl: This is a metaphorical way to describe someone who tends to stay up late. It doesn't mean he can rotate his head 270 degrees, though.
• She's got a heart of gold: No, this doesn't mean she needs to see a cardiologist. It's just a poetic way to express that someone is very kind and generous.

See? Metaphors are everywhere in our daily conversations, giving vivacity and color to our words. Understanding the definition of metaphor can let you appreciate and use these linguistic gems more effectively. So, the next time you're "burning the midnight oil" or you think "all is not lost," remember—you're using metaphors!

So you're interested in crafting your own metaphors, eh? Excellent! Let's plunge into the art of metaphor making. The definition of metaphor at its simplest is: a comparison without the use of "like" or "as". Here are a few steps to guide you:

• Identify the Point You Want to Convey: What's the idea or feeling you want your reader to grasp? Let's say you want to express sadness.
• Brainstorm Related Images: Think of things that evoke the same feeling. For sadness, you might think of rain, wilting flowers, or a gray sky.
• Draw a Comparison: Now, relate your main subject to the image you've chosen. Instead of saying "I am sad", you could say "I am a wilting flower".

And there you have it! You've just created a metaphor. It might feel a bit strange at first, but with practice, you'll be crafting metaphors as easily as making your morning coffee. Just remember, the beauty of a metaphor lies in its ability to express complex feelings and ideas in a simple and relatable way. So go ahead, turn your thoughts into metaphorical masterpieces!

When used correctly, metaphors can be powerful tools for communication. However, like any tool, they can also be misused. Let's explore some common pitfalls in using metaphors that can lead to confusion rather than clarity.

• Forcing a Metaphor: If you have to explain your metaphor, it probably isn’t working. Remember, a metaphor is supposed to make a complex idea easier to understand, not the other way around.
• Mixing Metaphors: Stick to one metaphor at a time. Mixing metaphors can muddle your message. Saying something like "I’m a wilting flower caught in a storm", while poetic, can be confusing. Is the subject the flower or the storm?
• Overuse of Metaphors: Metaphors are like spices in a dish - they should enhance, not overpower. A sprinkle here and there can make your writing flavorful, but too much can leave a bad taste in the reader's mouth.

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can ensure that your metaphors are doing their job - enhancing your message rather than obscuring it. Remember, the goal is to make your writing more engaging and relatable, not to show off how many metaphors you can squeeze into a paragraph.

Now, you may wonder: "Aren't metaphors and similes the same thing?" Not quite, my friend. While both metaphors and similes are used to make comparisons, the way they do so is different.

Here's the simplest definition of metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech that says one thing is another. It doesn't just compare—it equates. For example, "Life is a rollercoaster." Here, life isn't like a rollercoaster—it IS a rollercoaster, with all its ups, downs, and unexpected turns.

On the other hand, a simile compares two things by using "like" or "as". For example, "Life is like a rollercoaster." In this case, life isn't literally a rollercoaster, but it has qualities that are similar to one.

So, while both metaphors and similes are useful for painting vivid pictures in the reader's mind, remember: a metaphor makes a more direct comparison, while a simile uses "like" or "as" to highlight similarities. Each has its place, and knowing when to use one over the other can make your writing that much more effective.

If you found this blog post on metaphors insightful and want to explore more about the power of conceptual language in art, check out Crystal Ma's workshop, ' An Idea: Conveying Art Conceptually '. This workshop will provide you with a deeper understanding of how to use metaphors and other concepts to create meaningful and thought-provoking art pieces.

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Last updated on Feb 11, 2022

90+ Must-Know Metaphor Examples to Improve Your Prose

What figure of speech is so meta that it forms the very basis of riddles? The answer: a metaphor.

As Milan Kundera wrote in The Unbearable Lightness of Being : “Metaphors are dangerous. Metaphors are not to be trifled with.” Yet, paradoxically, they are an inescapable part of our daily lives — which is why it’s all the more important to understand exactly how they function.

To help, this article has a list of 97 metaphor examples to show you what they look like in the wild. But if you have a moment to spare, let's learn a bit more about what a metaphor is.

What is a metaphor?

A metaphor is a literary device that imaginatively draws a comparison between two unlike things. It does this by stating that Thing A is Thing B. Through this method of equation, metaphors can help explain concepts and ideas by colorfully linking the unknown to the known; the abstract to the concrete; the incomprehensible to the comprehensible. It can also be a rhetorical device that specifically appeals to our sensibilities as readers.

To give you a starting point, here are some examples of common metaphors:

• “Bill is an early bird.”
• “Life is a highway.”
• “Her eyes were diamonds.”

Note that metaphors are always non-literal. As much as you might like to greet your significant other with a warhammer in hand (“love is a battlefield”) or bring 50 tanks of gasoline every time you go on a date (“love is a journey”), that’s not likely to happen in reality. Another spoiler alert: no, Katy Perry doesn't literally think that you're a firework. Rather, these are all instances of metaphors in action.

How does a metaphor differ from a simile?

Simile and metaphor are both figures of speech that draw resemblances between two things. However, the devil’s in the details. Unlike metaphors, similes use like and as to directly create the comparison. “Life is like a box of chocolates,” for instance, is a simile. But if you say, “Life is a highway,” you’re putting a metaphor in motion.

The best way to understand how a metaphor can be used is to see it in practice — luckily, we’ve got a bucket-load of metaphor examples handy for you to peruse.

The Ultimate List of 90+ Metaphor Examples

Metaphors penetrate the entire spectrum of our existence — so we turned to many mediums to dig them up, from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to the Backstreet Boys’ ancient discography. Feel free to skip to your section of interest below for metaphor examples.

Literature Poetry Daily Expressions Songs Films Famous Quotations

Metaphors in literature are drops of water: as essential as they are ubiquitous. Writers use literary metaphors to evoke an emotional response or paint a vivid picture. Other times, a metaphor might explain a phenomenon. Given the amount of nuance that goes into it, a metaphor example in a text can sometimes deserve as much interpretation as the text itself.

Metaphors can make prose more muscular or imagery more vivid:

1. “Exhaustion is a thin blanket tattered with bullet holes.” ― If Then , Matthew De Abaitua

2. “But it is just two lovers, holding hands and in a hurry to reach their car, their locked hands a starfish leaping through the dark.” ― Rabbit, Run , John Updike

3. “The sun in the west was a drop of burning gold that slid near and nearer the sill of the world.” — Lord of the Flies , William Golding

4. “Bobby Holloway says my imagination is a three-hundred-ring circus. Currently I was in ring two hundred and ninety-nine, with elephants dancing and clowns cart wheeling and tigers leaping through rings of fire. The time had come to step back, leave the main tent, go buy some popcorn and a Coke, bliss out, cool down.” — Seize the Night ,   Dean Koontz

Writers frequently turn to metaphors to describe people in unexpected ways:

5. “But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!” — Romeo & Juliet , William Shakespeare

6. “Who had they been, all these mothers and sisters and wives? What were they now? Moons, blank and faceless, gleaming with borrowed light, each spinning loyally around a bigger sphere.  ‘Invisible,’ said Faith under her breath. Women and girls were so often unseen, forgotten, afterthoughts. Faith herself had used it to good effect, hiding in plain sight and living a double life. But she had been blinded by exactly the same invisibility-of-the-mind, and was only just realizing it.” ― The Lie Tree , Frances Hardinge

7. “’I am a shark, Cassie,’ he says slowly, drawing the words out, as if he might be speaking to me for the last time. Looking into my eyes with tears in his, as if he's seeing me for the last time. "A shark who dreamed he was a man.’” ― The Last Star , Rick Yancey

8. “Her mouth was a fountain of delight.” — The Storm , Kate Chopin

9. “The parents looked upon Matilda in particular as nothing more than a scab. A scab is something you have to put up with until the time comes when you can pick it off and flick it away.” — Matilda , Roald Dahl

10. “Mr. Neck storms into class, a bull chasing thirty-three red flags." — Speak , Laurie Anderson

11. “’Well, you keep away from her, cause she’s a rattrap if I ever seen one.’” — Of Mice and Men , John Steinbeck

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Metaphors can help “visualize” a situation or put an event in context:

12. “But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.” —Isaiah 64:8

13. “He could hear Beatty's voice. ‘Sit down, Montag. Watch. Delicately, like the petals of a flower. Light the first page, light the second page. Each becomes a black butterfly. Beautiful, eh? Light the third page from the second and so on, chainsmoking, chapter by chapter, all the silly things the words mean, all the false promises, all the second-hand notions and time-worn philosophies.’” — Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury

To entertain and tickle the brain, metaphor examples sometimes compare two extremely unlike things:

14. “Delia was an overbearing cake with condescending frosting, and frankly, I was on a diet.” ― Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception , Maggie Stiefvater

15. "The sun was a toddler insistently refusing to go to bed: It was past eight thirty and still light.” — Fault in Our Stars , John Green

16. “If wits were pins, the man would be a veritable hedgehog.” ― Fly by Night , Frances Hardinge

17. “What's this?" he inquired, none too pleasantly. "A circus?" "No, Julius. It's the end of the circus." "I see. And these are the clowns?" Foaly's head poked through the doorway. "Pardon me for interrupting your extended circus metaphor, but what the hell is that?” ― Artemis Fowl , Eoin Colfer

18. “Using a metaphor in front of a man as unimaginative as Ridcully was the same as putting a red flag to a bu — the same as putting something very annoying in front of someone who was annoyed by it.” ― Lords and Ladies , Terry Pratchett

Metaphors can help frame abstract concepts in ways that readers can easily grasp:

19. “My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” — Fault In Our Stars , John Green

20. “If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then to me.” — Macbeth , William Shakespeare

21. “Memories are bullets. Some whiz by and only spook you. Others tear you open and leave you in pieces.” ― Kill the Dead , Richard Kadrey

22. “Wishes are thorns, he told himself sharply. They do us no good, just stick into our skin and hurt us.” ― A Face Like Glass , Frances Hardinge

23. “’Life' wrote a friend of mine, 'is a public performance on the violin, in which you must learn the instrument as you go along.” ― A Room with a View , E.M. Forster

24. “There was an invisible necklace of nows, stretching out in front of her along the crazy, twisting road, each bead a golden second.” ― Cuckoo Song , Frances Hardinge

25. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” — As You Like It , William Shakespeare

Particularly prominent in the realm of poetry is the extended metaphor: a single metaphor that extends throughout all or part of a piece of work . Also known as a conceit , it is used by poets to develop an idea or concept in great detail over the length of a poem. (And we have some metaphor examples for you below.)

If you’d like to get a sense of the indispensable role that metaphors play in poetry, look no further than what Robert Frost once said: “They are having night schools now, you know, for college graduates. Why? Because they don’t know when they are being fooled by a metaphor. Education by poetry is education by metaphor.”

Poets use metaphors directly in the text to explain emotions and opinions:

26. She must make him happy. She must be his favorite place in Minneapolis. You are a souvenir shop, where he goes to remember how much people miss him when he is gone. —“ Unrequited Love Poem ,” Sierra DeMulder

27. She is all states, and all princes, I. Nothing else is. Princes do but play us; compared to this, All honour's mimic, all wealth alchemy. —“ The Sun Rising ,” John Donne

28. I watched a girl in a sundress kiss another girl on a park bench, and just as the sunlight spilled perfectly onto both of their hair, I thought to myself: How bravely beautiful it is, that sometimes, the sea wants the city, even when it has been told its entire life it was meant for the shore. —“I Watched A Girl In A Sundress,” Christopher Poindexter

Extended metaphors in particular explore and advance major themes in poems:

29. All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind. Thinking is always the stumbling stone to poetry. A great singer is he who sings our silences. How can you sing if your mouth be filled with food? How shall your hand be raised in blessing if it is filled with gold? They say the nightingale pierces his bosom with a thorn when he sings his love song. —“ Sand and Foam ,” Khalil Gibran

30. But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage / Can seldom see through his bars of rage / His wings are clipped and his feet are tied So he opens his throat to sing. —“ Caged Bird ,” Maya Angelou

31. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by / And that has made all the difference. —“ The Road Not Taken ,” Robert Frost

32. Marriage is not a house or even a tent it is before that, and colder: the edge of the forest, the edge of the desert the edge of the receding glacier where painfully and with wonder at having survived even this far we are learning to make fire —“ Habitation ,” Margaret Atwood

33. These poems do not live: it's a sad diagnosis. They grew their toes and fingers well enough, Their little foreheads bulged with concentration. If they missed out on walking about like people It wasn't for any lack of mother-love. —“ Stillborn ,” Sylvia Plath

34. Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul / And sings the tune without the words / And never stops at all. —“ Hope Is The Thing With Feathers ,” Emily Dickinson

Daily Expressions

Here’s some food for thought (35): you’ve probably already used a metaphor (or more) in your daily speech today without even realizing it. Metaphorical expressions pepper the English language by helping us illustrate and pinpoint exactly what we want to say. As a result, metaphors are everywhere in our common vocabulary: you may even be drowning in a sea (36) of them as we speak. But let’s cut to our list of metaphor examples before we jump the shark (37).

38. Love is a battlefield.

39. You’ve given me something to chew on.

40. He’s just blowing off steam.

41. That is music to my ears.

42. Love is a fine wine.

43. She’s a thorn in my side.

44. You are the light in my life.

45. He has the heart of a lion.

46. Am I talking to a brick wall?

47. He has ants in his pants.

48. Beauty is a fading flower.

49. She has a heart of stone.

50. Fear is a beast that feeds on attention.

51. Life is a journey.

52. He’s a late bloomer.

53. He is a lame duck now.

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Metaphors are a must-have tool in every lyricist’s toolkit. From Elvis to Beyonce, songwriters use them to instinctively connect listeners to imagery and paint a visual for them. Most of the time, they find new ways to describe people, love — and, of course, break-ups. So if you’re thinking, “This is so sad Alexa play Titanium,” right now, you’re in the right place: here’s a look at some metaphor examples in songs.

54. You ain't nothin' but a hound dog / Cryin' all the time —“Hound Dog,” Elvis Presley

55. You're a fallen star / You're the getaway car / You're the line in the sand / When I go too far / You're the swimming pool / On an August day / And you're the perfect thing to say — “Everything,” Michael Buble

56. 'Cause baby you're a firework / Come on show 'em what your worth / Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!" / As you shoot across the sky-y-y — “Firework,” Katy Perry

57. I'm bulletproof nothing to lose / Fire away, fire away / Ricochet, you take your aim / Fire away, fire away / You shoot me down but I won't fall, I am titanium —“Titanium,” David Guetta

58. Life is a highway / I wanna ride it all night long / If you're going my way / I wanna drive it all night long —“Life Is A Highway,” Rascal Flatts

59. She's a Saturn with a sunroof / With her brown hair a-blowing / She's a soft place to land / And a good feeling knowing / She's a warm conversation —“She’s Everything,” Brad Paisley

60. I'm a marquise diamond / Could even make that Tiffany jealous / You say I give it to you hard / So bad, so bad / Make you never wanna leave / I won't, I won't —“Good For You,’ Selena Gomez

61. Remember those walls I built / Well, baby, they're tumbling down / And they didn't even put up a fight / They didn't even make a sound —“Halo,” Beyonce

62. Did I ever tell you you're my hero? / You're everything, everything I wish I could be / Oh, and I, I could fly higher than an eagle / For you are the wind beneath my wings / 'Cause you are the wind beneath my wings —“Wind Beneath My Wings,” Bette Midler

63. You are my fire / The one desire / Believe when I say I want it that way —“I Want It That Way,” Backstreet Boys

64. Your body is a wonderland / Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands) / Your body is a wonderland —“Your Body Is A Wonderland,” John Mayer

65. I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!) / I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!) / I'm walking on sunshine (Wow!) / And don't it feel good —“I’m Walking On Sunshine,” Katrina and the Waves

66. If you wanna be with me / Baby there's a price to pay / I'm a genie in a bottle / You gotta rub me the right way —“Genie in a Bottle,” Christina Aguilera

67. If God is a DJ, life is a dance floor / Love is the rhythm, you are the music / If God is a DJ, life is a dance floor / You get what you're given it's all how you use it —“God Is A DJ,” P!nk

68. If this town / Is just an apple / Then let me take a bite —“Human Nature,” Michael Jackson

69. I just wanna be part of your symphony / Will you hold me tight and not let go? —“Symphony,” Clean Bandit

70. My heart's a stereo / It beats for you, so listen close / Hear my thoughts in every note —“Stereo Hearts,” Gym Class Heroes

71. I'm the sunshine in your hair / I'm the shadow on the ground / I'm the whisper in the wind / I'm your imaginary friend —“I’m Already There,” Lonestar

Films can add a different angle to the concept of a metaphor: because it’s a visual medium, certain objects on-screen will actually represent whatever the filmmaker intends it to represent. The same principle applies, of course — there’s still a direct comparison being made. It’s just that we can see the metaphor examples with our own eyes now.

Films can visually make clear comparisons between two elements on the screen:

72. “What beautiful blossoms we have this year. But look, this one’s late. I’ll bet that when it blooms it will be the most beautiful of all.” —from  Mulan

73. “Love is an open door Can I say something crazy? Will you marry me? Can I say something even crazier? Yes!” —from  Frozen

Metaphors are used in dialogue for characters to express themselves:

74. “You're television incarnate, Diana. Indifferent to suffering, insensitive to joy.” — Network

75. “Life's a climb. But the view is great.” — Hannah Montana: the Movie

Famous Quotations

Did you know that Plato was using metaphors to express his thoughts all the way back in 427 BC? Since then, some of our greatest minds have continued to turn to metaphors when illuminating ideas in front of the general public — a practice that’s become particularly prominent in political speeches and pithy witticisms. Here’s a sample of some of the ways that famous quotes have incorporated metaphor examples in the past.

76. “All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.” —Albert Einstein

77. “A good conscience is a continual Christmas.” —Benjamin Franklin

78. “America has tossed its cap over the wall of space.” —John F. Kennedy

79. “I don't approve of political jokes; I have seen too many of them get elected.” —Jon Stewart

80. “Conscience is a man’s compass.” —Vincent Van Gogh

81. “In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” —Albert Camus

82. “Time is the moving image of eternity.” ―Plato

83. “Every human is a school subject. This is rather a metaphorical way of saying it, to put it straight, those you love are few, and the ones you detest are many.” ―Michael Bassey Johnson

84. “Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.” —Will Rogers

85. “Life is little more than a loan shark: it exacts a very high rate of interest for the few pleasures it concedes.” —Luigi Pirandello

86. “America: in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words.  With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come.” —Barack Obama

87. “Bolshevism is a ghoul descending from a pile of skulls. It is not a policy; it is a disease. It is not a creed; it is a pestilence.” —Winston Churchill

88. “Books are mirrors of the soul.” —Virginia Woolf

89. “My life has a superb cast, but I can't figure out the plot.” —Ashleigh Brilliant

90. “I feel like we’re all in a super shitty Escape Room with really obvious clues like, ‘vote’ and ‘believe women’ and ‘don’t put children in cages.’” — Natasha Rothwell

91. “I travel the world, and I'm happy to say that America is still the great melting pot — maybe a chunky stew rather than a melting pot at this point, but you know what I mean.” —Philip Glass

92. “Life is a long road on a short journey.” —James Lendall Basford

93. “What therefore is truth? A mobile army of metaphors, metonymies, anthropomorphisms: in short a sum of human relations which become poetically and rhetorically intensified, metamorphosed, adorned, and after long usage seem to a nation fixed, canonic and binding.” —Nietzsche

94. “Life is a foreign language: all men mispronounce it.” —Christopher Morley

95. “Dying is a wild night and a new road.” —Emily Dickinson

96. “And your very flesh shall be a great poem.” —Walt Whitman

And as a bonus gift, here’s one last metaphor for the road, from one of our brightest philosophers. We’ll let Calvin have the last word:

Did we miss any of your favorite metaphors? Have more metaphor examples for us? Leave them in the (non-metaphorical) box below and we'll add them right in.

6 responses

James Hubbs says:

21/10/2018 – 23:44

Very useful article. Thank you. However, Fahrenheit 451 was written by Ray Bradbury, not George Orwell.

↪️ Reedsy replied:

22/10/2018 – 00:42

Great spot, James! That's now been fixed. Glad that the article was useful :)

Jonboy says:

21/05/2019 – 19:11

That Sylvia Plath quote nailed me. Ouch! Haven't read it but have to now...

21/06/2019 – 17:02

Another metaphor I love is “I’m just like them— an ordinary drone dressed in secrets and lies.” It’s from Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

DAVID COWART says:

18/11/2019 – 01:59

life is a highway is Tom Cochrane, not Rascal Flats

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

22/11/2019 – 12:54

Rascal Flatts did a cover of the song. We were deciding between the two and decided that "Rascal Flatts" sounded funnier :D

Comments are currently closed.

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