Daily Word Box

Word

simile

noun B1

Meanings

noun

A figure of speech that compares two different things using “like” or “as.”

Visual cue for simile — meaning 1

Definition

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things using “like” or “as.”

A simile is a common literary device used to make descriptions more vivid. It compares one thing to another by using the words “like” or “as.” Writers and speakers use a simile to help listeners imagine something more clearly. It is different from a metaphor because it makes the comparison explicit.

Examples

  • Her smile was a simile, bright like the sun.
  • The teacher asked us to write a simile about the ocean.
  • He used a simile to describe how fast the car was.
  • That simile makes the character’s fear easy to imagine.