What is a comparison of two things without using like or as?

Should you use a metaphor, a simile, or an analogy in your writing?

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Why metaphor?

While all three are closely related, it’s smart to understand the differences. The distinctions among metaphors, similes, and analogies will also help underscore why you may want to use one and not the other in certain situations.

Now that we know metaphors can be powerful persuasion tools, let’s make sure everyone is on the same page from a definitional standpoint.

Let’s take a look at some basic definitions before exploring each one further …

A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses one thing to mean another and makes a comparison between the two. A simile compares two different things in order to create a new meaning. An analogy is comparable to metaphor and simile in that it shows how two different things are similar, but it’s a bit more complex.

Metaphor

Remember, metaphors use “one thing to mean another.”

So, when someone says, “He’s become a shell of a man,” we know not to take this literally, even though it’s stated directly as if this person had actually lost his internal substance.

Simile

In the case of similes, we are made explicitly aware that a comparison is being made due to the use of “like” or “as.” (He’s like a shell of a man.)

For fun, the next time someone corrects you and says, “That’s a simile, not a metaphor,” you can respond by letting them know that a simile is a type of metaphor, just like sarcasm is a type of irony.

Resist the urge to be sarcastic in your delivery.

Analogy

Rather than a figure of speech, an analogy is more of a logical argument.

The presenter of an analogy will often demonstrate how two things are alike by pointing out shared characteristics, with the goal of showing that if two things are similar in some ways, they are similar in other ways as well.

Why metaphor?

There are circumstances where either a simile or an analogy is the more appropriate vehicle for getting your point across.

But coming up with a great metaphor may be your best bet in many situations. A metaphor carries so much more power than a simile, because it’s direct.

Using “like” or “as” to make an open comparison will often diminish the vivid visual you’re trying to paint in the reader’s mind.

Likewise, a spot-on metaphor will spark instant understanding for a reader, without the elaboration that an analogy requires.

From here, we’ll examine specific ways to use metaphor in your blog posts. Headlines, openings, themes, calls to action and more can all benefit from the use of metaphor, as long as the metaphors don’t suck.

We’ll look at ways to avoid that, too.

Did you miss the first post in this series? Read it now: Become a Master of Metaphor and Multiply Your Marketing Effectiveness

Next in the series:

5 Smart Ways to Use Metaphors to Create Irresistible Content

The Persuasive Power of Analogy

By Jennifer Betts, B.A. , Staff Writer

simile as playful as a kitten
Used under ThinkStock license

Have you ever said your brother was like a raging bull? If so, then you have made a comparison using a simile. There are a lot of different similes used in the English language. Check out some fun simile examples for kids they can add to their writing.

A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things. The simile is usually in a phrase that begins with the word "as" or "like." This is different from a metaphor, which is also a comparison, but one that says something is something else. Hopefully, these simile examples for kids will get them excited about using "like" or "as" in their writing.

Dive into a list of phrases that use the format "as something as something else" to make a comparison.

as American as apple pie	as big as an elephant
as black as coal	as blind as a bat
as boring as watching paint dry	as brave as a lion
as busy as a bee	as cheap as dirt
as clean as a whistle	as clear as mud
as clear as crystal	as cold as ice
as cool as a cucumber	as cunning as a fox
as dead as a doornail	as deaf as a post
as difficult as nailing jelly to a tree	as dry as a bone
as dull as dishwater	as easy as ABC
as fit as a fiddle	as flat as a pancake
as free as a bird	as fresh as a daisy
as gentle as a lamb	as good as gold
as hard as nails	as heavy as lead
as helpless as a baby	as honest as the day is long
as hot as blue blazes	as hungry as a bear
as innocent as a lamb	as large as life
as light as a feather	as long as a month of Sundays
as loose as a goose	as mad as a hatter
as mad as a hornet	as old as the hills
as pale as death	as plain as the nose on your face
as playful as a kitten	as pleased as punch
as proud as a peacock	as quick as lightning
as quiet as a church mouse	as regular as clockwork
as scarce as hen's teeth	as sharp as a razor
as sick as a dog	as silent as the grave
as slippery as an eel	as slow as molasses
as smooth as a baby's bottom	as snug as a bug in a rug
as solid as the ground we stand on	as sour as vinegar
as stiff as a board	as straight as an arrow
as strong as an ox	as stubborn as a mule
as sturdy as an oak	as sweet as pie
as tall as a giraffe	as tough as old boots
as useless as a chocolate teapot	as warm as toast
as white as snow	as wise as an owl

Now that you've seen "as" in action, try out these similes that compare using the format "something like something else."

sing like an angel	act like an animal
eat like a bird	fight like cats and dogs
work like a dog	work like a dream
soar like an eagle	sound like fingernails on a chalkboard
swim like a fish	race like a scared bunny
have eyes like a hawk	eat like a horse
sleep like a log	gravitate like a moth to the flame
eat like a pig	smell like a rose
sound like a screaming baby	shine like the stars
meander like a stream	explode like a volcano
shine like diamonds	slept like a baby
drools like a St. Bernard	sweet like sugar
leaked like a sieve	strong like a raging bull
soft like a lamb	flutter like a hummingbird
snarl like a rabid dog	puff up like a pufferfish

Did you have any favorites from the similes lists? Let's pull out a few and see how similes can make your writing more interesting and colorful.

During the house fire, my dad was as brave as a lion.
Sunday is cleaning day. By the time we're done, the house is as clean as a whistle.
That teacher was as dull as dishwater.
I think my grandfather is as old as these hills!
This house of cards is as sturdy as an oak.
My literature teacher was as wise as an owl.
My best friend sings like an angel.
After I received that "A" on my spelling test, I thought I might soar like an eagle.
Gah! Her voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard!
In our eighth grade pageant, we shone like stars.
This path meanders like a stream.
The sink leaked like a sieve.
The boy snarled like a rabid dog.
She fluttered like a hummingbird around the classroom.
They puff up like a pufferfish when they get mad.

Now that you've seen similes in action, you might be wondering how they are different from a metaphor. Lucky for you, there's a chart breaking down these two rhetorical devices.