Definition
What is simile?
A comparison using "like" or "as."
Similes make the abstract concrete by comparing an unfamiliar thing to something readers already understand. Unlike metaphors, which say one thing IS another, similes acknowledge the comparison with 'like' or 'as,' creating a lighter touch. A skilled simile illuminates both the subject and the comparison—when you say 'her eyes sparkled like diamonds,' you're also reminding readers of diamonds' cold, hard, precious nature. The best similes surprise readers with unexpected but perfect comparisons.
On the page
Simile examples
“My love is like a red, red rose.”
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
Famous examples in literature
The Iliad
Homer
Homer's epic similes expand moments of action into elaborate comparisons, often to nature or daily life.
“As a lion springs on a flock of sheep... so did Odysseus spring upon the suitors.”
A Tale of Two Cities
Charles Dickens
Dickens used similes to make 18th-century France vivid for Victorian readers.
“A large cask of wine had been dropped and broken... The wine was red wine, and had stained the ground of the narrow street... as if it had been blood.”
The Old Man and the Sea
Ernest Hemingway
Even Hemingway's spare prose used similes to convey the old man's connection to nature.
“He was as old as an erosion in a fishless desert.”
For writers
How writers use simile
- Compare the unfamiliar to the familiar to illuminate it
- Avoid clichés: 'fast as lightning' and 'sweet as honey' are dead
- Let similes reveal character: a chef compares things to food, a soldier to weapons
- Use surprising but apt comparisons—the 'click' of a perfect match
Why it matters
- Makes abstract emotions and concepts immediately understandable
- Creates vivid mental images with minimal words
- Reveals character voice—a farmer and a professor use different similes
- Softer than metaphor, allowing more subtle comparisons
Across different genres
'The creature moved like oil on water—boneless and inevitable.' Unnatural comparisons enhance the uncanny.
'His voice was like warm honey, slow and sweet.' Sensual similes create intimacy.
'She walked in like trouble wearing high heels.' Voice-driven similes define the genre.
'The dragon's scales were like a sunset forged in steel.' Elevate the extraordinary.
Common pitfalls
- Clichés: 'Blind as a bat,' 'clear as crystal,' 'cold as ice' are meaningless
- Mixed messages: 'Her smile was like a knife' confuses unless intentional
- Overuse: Too many similes slow the pace and exhaust readers
- Trying too hard: Strained similes draw attention to the author, not the story
Try it in your own writing
- Horror: Describe a monster using three similes that compare it to mundane household objects
- Romance: Write a paragraph where a character describes their love interest using similes from their profession
- Sci-Fi: Describe an alien landscape using similes that reference only Earth-bound experiences
Quick answers
Simile FAQ
What is simile?
A comparison using "like" or "as." Similes make the abstract concrete by comparing an unfamiliar thing to something readers already understand. Unlike metaphors, which say one thing IS another, similes acknowledge the comparison with 'like' or 'as,' creating a lighter touch. A skilled simile illuminates both the subject and the comparison—when you say 'her eyes sparkled like diamonds,' you're also reminding readers of diamonds' cold, hard, precious nature. The best similes surprise readers with unexpected but perfect comparisons.
What are some examples of simile?
The examples on this page include A Red, Red Rose and Quote. Each one shows how the device works in context.
How can writers use simile effectively?
Compare the unfamiliar to the familiar to illuminate it Avoid clichés: 'fast as lightning' and 'sweet as honey' are dead Let similes reveal character: a chef compares things to food, a soldier to weapons