Understanding similes: Using them is easy as can be

The definition of a simile

A simile is figurative language that describes something by comparing it to another thing using the words like or as. In fact, that’s a really easy way to spot them: just look for the words like or as.

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To craft your own simile, make two decisions:

1. How do you want to describe something?
2. What you want to compare that something to?

Start with the subject you want to describe, like a car. Choose how you want to describe this car. Do you want to describe it as slow? No? Well, how about fast? Yes? Okay, how fast is it? List out other things that are fast besides cars: cheetahs, rabbits, lighting, comets, and rockets. Choose the best comparison and fit it into this format: The [subject] was as [adjective] as a [comparison]. Your simile might look something like this:

The car was as fast as a rocket.

That’s not the only simile format, you can also use the word like to compare something with action verbs too. Try this format: The [subject] [verb] like a [comparison]. You may end up writing:

The car races like a rocket.

Try it yourself and see what you come up with.

The difference between a simile and a metaphor

Don’t confuse similes with metaphors; they’re slightly different. While a simile describes something by comparing it to another thing, a metaphor describes something in a way that is not literally true. These examples will clear this up for you quick:

• Simile: The author writes like a machine.
• Metaphor: That writer is a machine.

These two sentences convey the same message in two slightly different ways. In some instances, you may choose to use a simile, in others a metaphor.

Examples of simile in literature

The best way to grasp similes is to see them in action. Read through these three examples to learn how other writers use them so you can do the same next time you sit down to write.

Similes in Harlem by Langston Hughes

One of the most powerful poems in English literature is this short little piece about dreams by Langston Hughes. It was so influential that it inspired the play Raisin in the Sun that was later adapted into a movie. The best part? The entire poem is composed of a list of similes describing what happens to a dream that has been postponed. Take a quick read through and see how many you can catch.

Harlem

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

A dream deferred is such an abstract concept that it’s hard to wrap one’s head around in any meaningful way. So, Hughes expertly uses similes to compare abstract dreams to more concrete imagery like a raisin in the sun, a sore, rotten meat, and so on. The similes give the poem tangibility—but more than that—they prompt the audience to think about the consequences of putting aside a dream, be it their own or someone else’s. And of course, with the title Harlem, Hughes specifically refers to the deferred dreams of fellow African Americans.

Similes in Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard

Creative non-fiction is ripe with similes. With a simile, you can compare an ordinary thing to something else to introduce a new perspective. Annie Dillard, the modern Thoreau, masterfully uses similes throughout her novel Pilgrim at Tinker Creek to describe her experiences in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. See how she uses this simile to immerse the reader in her imagery.

The wood duck flew away. I caught only a glimpse of something like a bright torpedo that blasted the leaves where it flew.

Most people wouldn’t think to compare a duck to a torpedo, but in doing so, Dillard depicts the quick, fleeting flash of a bird flying away out of the corner of one’s eye. The audience doesn’t just imagine the sight, but they can almost hear and feel the flap of the wings, just as if they were there themselves.

Similes in Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

And of course, you’ll find similes throughout all types of fiction writing as well. In The Song of Achilles, award-winning author, Madeline Miller expertly finds ways to dust off the old story of the Iliad and transform it into fresh literature candy for new audiences–and similes are one of her tools. In this excerpt from the book, Patroclus describes Achilles with a simile.

“He gloried in his own strength, like a racehorse too long penned, allowed at last to run.”

This little simile is jam-packed with meaning. Miller could have just written, “he gloried in his own strength.” and moved on. Instead, comparing the way Achilles glories in his own strength to a racehorse too long penned reveals so much more about the character. It conveys that Achilles is a restless champion, impatient and eager to showcase his skill. It also alludes to the fact that other people control him, and he’s only allowed to reach his full potential when others allow him to.

Use similes in your own work

Readers and writers alike love similes. They can elevate your work to more lyrical heights or help you explain an abstract concept in a more tangible way. Plus, they are just plain fun. Now that you understand similes, you can use them in your own writing. Whip up some similes today and see how they enhance your writing skillset.