Simile

pronounced: SIM-i-lee
It's been a hard day's night,
and I've been working like a dogThe Beatles
A simile is a figure of speech that says that one thing is like another different thing.
We can use similes to make descriptions more emphatic or vivid.
We often use the words as...as and like with similes.
Common patterns for similes, with example sentences, are:
 something [is*] AS adjective AS something
His skin was as cold as ice.
It felt as hard as rock.
She looked as gentle as a lamb.
 something [is*] LIKE something
My love is like a red, red rose.
These cookies taste like garbage.
He had a temper (that was) like a volcano.
 something [does**] LIKE something
He eats like a pig.
He smokes like a chimney.
They fought like cats and dogs.
* stative verb: be, feel, smell, taste etc
** action verb
Note that with the AS...AS pattern, the first AS is sometimes suppressed, for
example:
 His skin was cold as ice.
The above patterns of simile are the most common, but there are others made
with adverbs or words such as than and as if, for example:
 He ran as fast as the wind.
 He is larger than life.
 They ran as if for their lives.
Similes can include other figures of speech. For example, "He ran like greased
lightning" is a simile that includes hyperbole (greased lightning).
Similes often make use of irony or sarcasm. In such cases they may even mean the
opposite of the adjective used. Look at these examples:
 His explanation was as clear as mud. (not clear at all since mud is opaque)
 The film was about as interesting as watching a copy of Windows
download. (long and boring)
 Watching the show was like watching paint dry. (very boring)
Similes are often found (and they sometimes originate) in poetry and other literature.
Here are a few examples:
 A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle - Irina Dunn
 Dawn breaks open like a wound that bleeds afresh - Wilfred Owen
 Death has many times invited me: it was like the salt invisible in the waves -
Pablo Neruda
 Guiltless forever, like a tree - Robert Browning
 Happy as pigs in mud - David Eddings
 How like the winter hath my absence been - William Shakespeare
  As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean - Samuel Taylor Coleridge
 Jubilant as a flag unfurled - Dorothy Parker
 So are you to my thoughts as food to life - William Shakespeare
 Yellow butterflies flickered along the shade like flecks of sun - William
Faulkner
Popular songs, too, make use of simile:
 A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle - U2
 Cheaper than a hot dog with no mustard - Beastie Boys
 I must do what's right, as sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the
Serengeti - Toto
 It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog - The Beatles
 Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
 Like a bat outta [out of] hell - Meat Loaf
 My heart is like an open highway - Jon Bon Jovi
 These are the seasons of emotion and like the winds they rise and fall - Led
Zeppelin
 Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull
 You are as subtle as a brick to the small of my back - Taking Back Sunday
[does] LIKE something meaning
to drink like a fish to drink a lot
to eat like a bird to eat very little
to eat like a horse to eat a lot
to eat like a pig to eat impolitely
to fight like cats and dogs to fight fiercely
to sing like an angel to sing beautifully
to sleep like a log to sleep well and soundly
to smoke like a chimney to smoke heavily, all the time
to soar like an eagle to fly high and free
to work like a dog to work very hard
[is] AS adjective AS something meaning
as blind as a bat completely blind
as cold as ice very cold
as flat as a pancake completely flat
as gentle as a lamb very gentle
as light as a feather very light
as old as the hills very old
as sharp as a knife very sharp
as strong as a bull very strong
as white as snow pure white
as wise as an owl very wise
Simile Examples for Kids
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things. The simile is
usually in a phrase that begins with "as" or "like." (This is different from a metaphor,
which is a comparison that says something is something else.) The often nonsensical
aspect of similes make them a fun way to get kids excited about reading and writing.
See more similes with our simile flashcard set.
Simile Examples
Kids can have fun using these simile examples that begin with "as":
 As American as apple pie  As hungry as a bear
 As big as an elephant  As innocent as a lamb
 As black as coal  As large as life
 As blind as a bat  As light as a feather
 As bold as brass  As long as a month of Sundays
 As boring as watching paint dry  As loose as a goose
 As brave as a lion  As mad as a hatter
 As bright as a button  As mad as a hornet
 As busy as a bee  As nervous as a long tailed cat in a
 As cheap as dirt room full of rocking chairs
 As clean as a whistle  As nutty as a fruitcake
 As clear as mud  As old as the hills
 As clear as crystal  As pale as death
 As cold as ice  As plain as the nose on your face
 As cool as a cucumber  As playful as a kitten
 As crooked as a dog's hind leg  As pleased as Punch
 As cunning as a fox  As proud as a peacock
 As cute as a bug's ear  As quick as lightning
 As dead as a doornail  As quiet as a church mouse
 As deaf as a post  As regular as clockwork
 As difficult as nailing jelly to a tree  As scarce as hen's teeth
 As dry as a bone  As sharp as a razor
 As dull as dishwater  As sick as a dog
 As easy as ABC  As silent as the grave
 As fit as a fiddle  As slippery as an eel
 As flat as a pancake  As slow as molasses in January
 As free as a bird  As sly as a fox
 As fresh as a daisy  As smooth as a baby's bottom
 As gentle as a lamb  As snug as a bug in a rug
 As good as gold  As solid as the ground we stand on
 As happy as a dog with two tails  As sour as vinegar
 As hard as nails  As steady as a rock
 As heavy as lead  As stiff as a board
 As helpless as a baby  As straight as an arrow
 As honest as the day is long  As strong as an ox
 As hot as blue blazes  As stubborn as a mule
 As sturdy as an oak  (Fight) like cats and dogs

 As sweet as pie  (Work) like a dog

 Like a dream
 As tall as a giraffe
 (Soar) like an eagle
 As thin as a rake
 Like fingernails on a chalkboard
 As tight as a drum
 Like a fish
 As timid as a rabbit  (Racing) like a frightened rabbit
 As tough as old boots  (Have eyes) like a hawk
 As useless as a chocolate teapot  (Eat) like a horse
 As warm as toast  (Sleep) like a log
 Like a moth to the flame
 As welcome as a skunk at a lawn
 (Eat) like a pig
party
 Like a pile of rocks
 As white as snow
 Like a rose
 As wise as an owl  Like a screaming baby
Or try using some of these similes that  Like stars
start with "like":  (Meandered) like a stream
 (Sing) like an angel  Like two peas in a pod
 (Act) like an animal  (Exploded) like a volcano
 (Eat) like a bird
List of Simile Sentences
I will make the assumption that since you are looking for a list of simile sentences
you therefore know what a simile is? Well, for those who just can't remember the
meaning of a simile, let me be that simile refresher.
A Simile is a figure of speech which compares two different objects (stone to a cat,
Man to a mouse) and bring an interesting connection between the two objects being
compared. A simple example of such is the following sentence. 'He is as dead as a
doorbell.' The two objects within this comparison is 'He' which can be any male.
Comparing the person's attitude, demeanor, or personality to a 'Doorbell' which just
simply sits on the door or wall waiting to be pressed and often times not working or
basically 'dead'.
Similes are used in literature all the time. It is used in Novels, newspaper articles,
poems and just about anything which requires reading and publishing. It is used by
commentators in football and baseball games. One such simile is 'He pitches as
slow as molasses.' You can use similes to enhance your sentences and bring the
imagination out in the reader. Similes can be quite fun to use especially when writing
about hilarious situations. You will find a list of common used simile sentences
below which you can use to enhance your simile grammar.
List of Common Simile Sentences
1. It fits like a Glove. 9. As common as Nails
2. As white as Snow 10. As brave as a Lion
3. As hot as Hell. 11. As coward as a Mice
4. As tall as a Giraffe 12. As bright as a Button
5. As mean as Miser 13. As innocent as a Baby
6. As light as a feather 14. As Blind as a Bat
7. As cool as a cucumber 15. As Bold as Brass
8. As innocent as a Lamb 16. As black as Coal
 17. As Sweet as Honey 34. As Talkative as a Parrot, Magpie
18. As busy as a Bee 35. As Slow as a Snail, Turtle, Sloth,
19. As angry as a Bull, Wasp Molasses.
20. As cunning as a Fox 36. As strong as a Lion, Bear, Horse
21. As dumb as a doorknob, Rock 37. As fast as lightening
22. As Ugly as Sin 38. As easy as Pie, ABC, 123
23. As stubborn as a Mule 39. As proud as a Peacock
24. As wise as a Owl 40. As deaf as a Post
25. As noisy as a Cricket 41. As quick as Silver, Fox,
26. As pure as Snow, Gold Lightening
27. As Pretty as a Picture 42. As clean as a Whistle
28. As Hungry as Pig, Horse, Bear 43. As flat as a Pancake
29. As Fat as a Cow, Pig 44. As smooth as Ice
30. As pitiless as the Sun 45. As thick as Thieves
31. As wide as the Sky 46. As mischievous as a Monkey
32. As tiny as a Mouse 47. As tender as a Shepherd,
33. As Still as a Statue Chicken
How To Use Similes in Sentences Examples
Even though the list above states similes with the "as a" reference. When making
sentences using similes, the 'like' comparison can also be used. Let's examine this
by writing a few simile sentences with the 'Like' comparison.
 He sits there staring at the blank screen like a ghost searching for his reflection.
 I said it twice and you are there acting like a deaf post
 He moves like a ghost in the wind
 His stance is like that of a peacock.
 The Bully made him tremble like a cowardly mice.
 The match was like a fight between cats and dogs.
 He moved like lightening before the police came.
 His attire stood out like a soar thumb.
 She looks like love in spring.
 The woman's tongue was cutting them down like a razor.
Using Similes in sentences with the 'as a' Comparison
 John saw the car coming and stood still as a statue.
 She acted as brave as a lion even though she was outnumbered ten to one.
 He had to move as light as a feather else he would have broken the ice.
 Sales men are as sly as a fox and will even sell you something your already
own.
 This water is as pure as gold.
 This brand car is built as solid as a rock.
 My God! This child is as noisy as a cricket.
 I have to lift weights because I want to be as strong as an Ox.
 The Police Officer is as smart as a fox, he will catch the thief.
 My grandpa is eighty one (81) years old and is as wise as an owl.
Conclusion
The English language would never be the same without using these wonderful
similes. They are used to enhance and stir ones imagination when constructing
comparisons. They are used to exaggerate or to place vivid emphasis on a object or
action. They make writing and speaking much more fun. Go ahead, use up the
similes more often and watch your language come to life.
Very common similes
as strong as an ox (about a person with great strength)
as light as a feather (when something weighs very little)
as busy as a bee
as quiet as a mouse (someone who is shy and untalkative; someone who is being
quiet so as not to be heard)
as quick as a flash (when something moves fast; someone does something quickly)
as dry as a bone (when something is very or totally dry)
Similes with colours
as white as a sheet (when somene’s face is white due to fear)
as red as a beetroot (someone’s face when embarrassed)
as brown as a berry (when someone has a deep suntan)
as black as night
Similes with ‘sick’
These two similes both start with sick but have different meanings:
as sick as a dog (sick in the sense of vomiting)
as sick as a parrot (sick in the sense of extremely disappointed)
Use these similes with care
Watch out – the following similes might be a little offensive and should be used with
care:
as deaf as a post (to describe someone who hears badly)
as blind as a bat (to describe someone who sees badly)
as thin as a rake (to describe someone who is very slim/underweight)
as mad as a hatter (to describe someone who is eccentric)
as drunk as a lord (when someone has drunk too much)
Similes with ‘like’
to eat like a horse (to describe someone who always has a big appetite)
to drink like a fish (to describe someone who always drinks a lot of alcohol)
to have a memory like a sieve (about a forgetful person – sieves have holes in
them)
to sleep like a log (to sleep very deeply and for a long time)
to have eyes like a hawk (describing someone who sees every small detail)
to work like a dream (when something works perfectly, e.g. a plan, a machine)
Simile Examples
Simile Examples
A simile is a comparison between two different things using the word
“like” or “as” to make the comparison. Similes are generally easier to
identify than metaphors, but not always. Sometimes a speaker or writer
may use the word “like” or “as” and not make any comparison. These are
not similes. For example if I said, “I like pizza.” I am expressing a
preference for pizza not making a comparison.
Simile Examples for Intermediate Readers
Slashes indicate line-breaks.
1. “Food?” Chris inquired, popping out of his seat like a toaster strudel.
2. Grandpa lounged on the raft in the middle of the pool like an old
battleship.
3. If seen from above the factory, the workers would have looked like clock
parts.
4. The truth was like a bad taste on his tongue.
5. The people who still lived in the town were stuck in place like wax statues.
6. Cassie talked to her son about girls as though she were giving him tax
advice.
7. Alan’s jokes were like flat soda to the children, surprisingly unpleasant.
8. My mother’s kitchen was like a holy place: you couldn’t wear your shoes,
you had to sit there at a certain time, and occasionally we’d pray.
9. The bottle rolled off the table like a teardrop.
10. The handshake felt like warm laundry.
11. She hung her head like a dying flower.
12. Arguing with her was like dueling with hand grenades.
13. The classroom was as quiet as a tongue-tied librarian in a hybrid car.
14. Janie’s boyfriend appreciated her as an ape might appreciate an algebra
book.
15. The clouds were like ice-cream castles in the sky.
16. The shingles on the shack shook in the storm winds like scared children.
17. When he reached the top of the hill, he felt as strong as a steel gate.
18. When the tree branch broke, Millie fell from the limb like a robin’s egg.
19. She swam through the waters like she was falling through a warm dream.
20. They children ran like ripples through water.
21. Mikhail scattered his pocket change in front of the beggars like crumbs of
bread.
22. Her hair was as soft as a spider web.
23. Each dollar bill was a like a magic wand to cast away problems.
24. The man held the blanket like a memory.
25. The ice sculptor’s hands fluttered like hummingbird wings.
26. I’m about as awesome as a flying giraffe.
27. You are soft as the nesting dove.
28. Andre charged down the football field like it was the War of 1812.
29. The stars looked like stupid little fish.
30. Her laughter was like a warm blanket or a familiar song.
31. The river flows like a stream of glass
32. Blood seeped out of the wound like red teardrops.
33. Paul carried his science project to school like he was transporting
explosive glass.
34. She looked at me like I was speaking in some strange alien tongue.
35. The town square was buzzing like a beehive.
36. Kelsey followed her dreams like most kids would follow a big sister.
37. Kyle looked at the test with a stare as blank as his notebook.
38. The robins are as thick today as flakes of snow were yesterday,
39. Her eyes are like the eyes of statues.
40. The gray moss drapes us like sages.
41. The music burst like a bent-up flood.
42. The curtains stir as with an ancient pain.
43. But now her hands like moonlight brush the keys with velvet grace.
44. I flitted like a dizzy moth.
45. The flowers were as soft as thoughts of budding love.
46. The gray of the sea, and the gray of the sky, / A glimpse of the moon like
a half-closed eye.
47. Yes, the doors are locked and the ashes are white as the frost.
48. A mist about your beauty clings like a thin cloud before a star.
49. She went like snow in the springtime on a sunny hill.
50. Then I knew those tiny voices, clear as drops of dew.

Simile Examples for Advanced Readers

Here are fifty examples of similes for advanced
readers. Remember: a simile is a comparison between two different
things using like or as to make the comparison.
1. I dream of silent verses where the rhyme glides noiseless as an oar.
2. Though they knew it not, their baby’s cries were lovely as jeweled
butterflies.
3. He kissed her as though he were trying to win a sword fight.
4. The paparazzi circled like vultures above a tottering camel.
5. She was as distant as a remote tropical island, uncivilized,
unspoiled.
6. Our hearts, though stout and brave, still, like muffled drums, are
beating funeral marches to the grave.
7. He had hidden his wealth, heaped and hoarded and piled on high
like sacks of wheat in a granary.
8. Pieces of silver and of gold / Into the tinkling strong-box fell / Like
pebbles dropped into a well;
9. The cabin windows have grown blank as eyeballs of the dead.
10. What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
11. Each face was like the setting sun, / As, broad and red.
12. Barefooted, ragged, with neglected hair, she was a thin slip of
a girl, like a new moon.
13. A fatal letter wings its way across the sea, like a bird of prey.
14. I will sing a slumberous refrain, and you shall murmur like a
child appeased.
15. For she knows me! My heart, clear as a crystal beam / To her
alone, ceases to be inscrutable.
16. Leaf-strewing gales utter low wails like violins,
17. He spit out his teeth like stones.
18. Talk of your cold: through the parka’s fold it stabbed like a
driven nail.
19. Dawn breaks open like a wound that bleeds afresh.
20. Like winged stars the fire-flies flash and glance, / Pale in the
open moonshine.
21. The breath of her false mouth was like faint flowers, / Her
touch was as electric poison.
22. Then, as a hunted deer that could not flee, I turned upon my
thoughts and stood at bay, wounded and weak and panting;
23. There are thick woods where many a fountain, rivulet, and
pond are as clear as elemental diamond.
24. Years heap their withered hours, like leaves, on our decay.
25. The ripples wimple on the rills, like sparkling little lasses.
26. She was like a modest flower blown in sunny June and warm as
sun at noon’s high hour.
27. And the face of the waters that spread away / Was as gray as
the face of the dead.
28. As in depths of many seas, my heart was drowned in
memories.
29. Then like a cold wave on a shore, comes silence and she sings
no more.
30. And shout thy loud battle-cry, cleaving the silence like a sword.
31. My soul is lost and tossed like a ship unruddered in a shoreless
sea.
32. The clouds like crowds of snowy-hued and white-robed
maidens pass
33. Dreams, like ghosts, must hide away; / ‘Tis the day.
34. The evening stretches before me like a road.
35. I would have hours that move like a glitter of dancers.
36. Toby manipulated the people in his life as though they were
chess pieces.
37. And only to think that my soul could not react, but turned on
itself like a tortured snake.
38. There are strange birds like blots against a sky.
39. She goes all so softly like a shadow on the hill, a faint wind at
twilight.
40. The horse-chestnuts dropped their buds like tears.
41. They walk in awful splendor, regal yet, wearing their crimes
like rich and kingly capes.
42. Death is like moonlight in a lofty wood that pours pale magic
through the shadowy leaves.
43. I was sick of all the sorrow and distress that flourished in the
City like foul weeds.
44. As I read it in the white, morning sunlight, the letters squirmed
like snakes.
45. Oh, praise me not the silent folk; / To me they only seem /
Like leafless, bird-abandoned oak.
 46. The windflowers and the lilies were yellow striped as adder’s
tongue.
47. I have seen old ships sail like swans asleep.
48. For the world’s events have rumbled on since those days like
traffic.
49. And dance as dust before the sun, light of foot and unconfined.
50. The fishes skim like umber shades through the undulating
weeds.
51. Gather up the undiscovered universe like jewels in a jasper
cup.
Similes List
Similes are a specific and formulaic form of allegory. A simile is a
juxtaposed comparison of two or more objects to draw attention to their
similarities. In English, similes are typically marked by use
of like or as or than or resembles. Similes show how two things, that
are not alike in most ways, are similar in one important way. Similes are
a way to describe something. Authors use them to make their writing
more interesting or entertaining.

A popular mnemonic for a simile is that a simile is similar or alike.

Examples:

1. Playing chess with Ashley is like trying to outsmart a computer.

The activity playing chess with Ashley is being compared to trying to

outsmart a computer. The point is that Ashley can think in a powerful
manner that resembles the way a computer operates, not that she is like
a computer in any other way.

2. His temper was as explosive as a volcano.

His temper is being compared to a volcano in that it can be sudden and

violent.

Few more examples of similes:

• Walking onto those sun-warmed stones was like stepping onto a hot
plate.
• The cat, quick as lightning, pounced on the rat.
• She's as dull as a doorknob.

Similes have been widely used in literature for their expressiveness as a

figure of speech:
• Curley was flopping like a fish on a line.
• The very mist on the Essex marshes was like a gauzy and radiant
fabric.
• Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus.
pale as Banquet’s ghost
•
As pale as death • As poor as Job
• As passionate as young love • As populous as an ant hill
• As patient as hours • As powerful as death
• As patient as Job • As powerful as a lion
• As peaceful as sleep • As powerless as an infant
• As persistent as mosquito • As pretty as a picture
• As piercing as light • As pretty as a paint
• As placid as duck-pond • As progressive as time
• As plain as pikestaff • As proud as a peacock
• As playful as a rabbit • As proud as Lucifer
• As playful as kittens • As punctual as springtime
• As pleasant as health • As pure as a lily
• As pleased as punch • As pure as winter snow
• As plentiful as blackberries • As pure as faith
• As poor as a church mouse

OTHER EXPLICIT SIMILES

As cute as a button.
As pretty as a picture.
As soft as a baby's behind.
As hard as a rock.
As dumb as rocks.
As brave as a lion.
As pure as the driven snow.
As white as the driven snow.
As black as night.
As red as a tomato.
As graceful as a swan.
As poor as a church mouse.
As slow as molasses in January.
As fast/quick as lightning.
As colorful as a rainbow.
As playful as a kitten.
As dead as a door nail.
As pale as a ghost.
As skinny as a rail.
As hungry as a hippo.
As sick as a dog.
As plain as day.
 As fake as a three-dollar bill.
As crooked as a politician.
As happy as a lark.
As naked as a jay bird.
As blind as a bat.
As strong as a horse.
As dumb as an ox.
As tough as nails.
As harmless as a dove.
As stubborn as a mule.
As busy as a bee.

MORE IMPLICIT SIMILES

SIMILE MEANING
eat like a bird (eat very little)
live like a pig (live very untidily)
eat like a pig (eat very sloppily) [U.S.]
like a tiger (very aggressive)
swim like a fish (swim very well)
eyes like a hawk (eyes, which can see the minutest detail,
even from a great distance)
like a wolf in sheep's clothing (cunning)
sleep like a baby (sleep soundly)
work like the devil (work hard)
drink like a fish (drink a lot of alcohol/liquor)
run around like a chicken with its head cut (run around crazily)
off
live like a candle in the wind (live dangerously)
lie like a sieve (tell lies often)
take it like a man (endure sth well) [as opposed to take it like a
little boy]
as many as the sands of the seashore (innumerable)
like finding a needle in a haystack (nearly impossible to find)
sing like a bird (sing very well)
multiply like rabbits (have many babies)
to know ((sth)) like the back of one's hand (to know something very, very well)
Common Metaphorical Collocations'

COLLOCATION MEANING SAMPLE SENTENCE

(derog. = derogatory =
not nice!)
airhead A stupid person She is such an airhead. She doesn't know
[derog.] (usually used very much.
for females)
bird brain A stupid person What a bird brain! You did something so
[derog.] stupid!
black heart evil personality She has a black heart.
blockhead A stupid person You are such a blockhead, Charlie
[derog.] Brown! That was a stupid thing to do!
blue skies happiness I am seeing blue skies, because I am happy.
butter fingers clumsy fingers [derog.] You have butter fingers. Everything you
touch, you drop.
copycat A person who copies I have a student who is a copycat. She
other people (trying to always wants to do what the other children
be like them). want to do. She has no mind of her own.
eagle eyes eyes with excellent He has eagle eyes. He can see you from
vision very far away.
egg head A person who studies He is such an egg head. He won't play with
too much [derog.] us, because he is always studying.
forked tongue a tongue, which speaks He who has a forked-tongue, speaks in
duplicity [derog.] lies. He says one thing, but means another.
four-eyes A person with glasses Hey, four-eyes! Nice glasses.
[derog.]
gray skies melancholy I see only gray skies, because I am sad.
green thumb a talent for growing He has a green thumb. All his plants are
plants growing very well.
lazybones A lazy person [derog.] You are such a lazybones!
lion-hearted generous He is so lion-hearted. He donates a lot to
charity.
night owl A person who stays up I am a night owl. I like to stay up late at
late at night. night.
numbskull A stupid person You are such a numbskull! That was a
[derog.] stupid thing to do.
red carpet royal treatment They rolled out the red carpet for
him. (They gave him the royal treatment).
rocket scientist A very intelligent It doesn't take a rocket scientist to
person. understand the law of inertia.
silver-tongued having eloquence The silver-tongued lad flattered the ladies.
and/or flattery
sunny disposition happy personality She has a sunny disposition. She is always
happy.
sweet talk praise given for the His sweet talk will get him nowhere.
purpose of
manipulation
white paper government report It is a 'white paper' about AIDS in the
country.
What are Similes?
A simile is a comparison of one thing with another.
Similes are often used in poetry or as expressive phrases, for example:
"I wandered lonely as a cloud
that floats on high o’er vales and hills.".
Similes (...and it's spelled 'similes', not 'similies' - a very common misspelling) are
very often in the form 'As X as Y' .
 This form usually follows the pattern 'as adjective as noun', where the adjective is
a property that the noun is well-known as possessing.
Examples of that form are 'as black as coal', 'as white as snow'. Occasionally,
the simile just relies on rhyme, for example 'as drunk as a skunk'. Many also
employ alliteration; many animals might be thought of as industrious but it was
'as busy as a bee' and 'as busy as a beaver' that got the nod when the 'busy'
similes were coined.
A List of Similes
As alike as two peas in a pod As cold as blue blazes
As American as apple pie As cold as charity
As bald as a coot As cold as ice
As black as Newgate's knocker As common as muck
As black as coal As cool as a cucumber
As black as jet As crazy as a loon
As black as pitch As crooked as a dog's hind leg
As black as the Earl of Hell's As cross as two sticks
waistcoat As cunning as a fox
As black as the ace of spades As cute as a bug's ear
As black as thunder As cute as a button
As black as your hat As daft as a brush
As blind as a bat As dark as pitch
As blind as a mole As dead as a dodo
As bold as brass As dead as a doornail
As boring as a wet weekend in As dead as mutton
Wigan As deaf as a post
As boring as watching paint dry As deaf as a stone
As brave as a lion As different as chalk and cheese
As bright as a button As difficult as nailing jelly to a tree
As bright as a new pin As drunk as a lord
As broad as it is long As drunk as a skunk
As brown as a berry As dry as a bone
As busy as a beaver As dry as a pommy's bath towel
As busy as a bee As dull as ditchwater
As busy as a one-armed paper As dumb as a box of rocks
hanger As easy as ABC
As busy as a one-legged arse As easy as falling off a log
kicker As easy as pie
As camp as a row of tents As easy as taking candy from a
As cheap as dirt baby
As clean as a whistle As far as the eye can see
As clear as a bell As fast as greased lightening
As clear as crystal As fast as his legs could carry him
As clear as day As fine as frog's hair
As clear as mud As fit as a butcher's dog
As cold as a well digger's arse As fit as a fiddle
As cold as a witch's tit As flat as a pancake
As cold as any stone As free as a bird
As fresh as a daisy As nice as ninepence
As fresh as a mountain stream As nutty as a fruit cake
As full as a fat lady's sock As old as Methuselah
As full as an Alabama tick As old as the hills
As gentle as a lamb As patient as Job
As good as gold As pissed as a newt
As good as it gets As pissed as a rat
As good as new As plain as a pikestaff
As good as your word As plain as day
As green as grass As plain as the nose on your face
As happy as a clam As playful as a kitten
As happy as a dog with two tails As pleased as Punch
As happy as a lark As poor as a church mouse
As happy as a pig in shit As pretty as a picture
As happy as a sandboy As proud as Punch
As happy as Larry As proud as a peacock
As hard as a rock As pure as the driven slush
As hard as iron As pure as the driven snow
As heavy as lead As queer as a chocolate orange
As helpless as a baby As queer as a nine bob note
As high as a kite As queer as folk
As honest as the day is long As quick as a flash
As hot as Hades As quiet as a mouse
As hot as blue blazes As rare as hens' teeth
As hungry as a hunter As rare as rocking horse shit
As Irish as Paddy's pig As red as a beetroot
As keen as mustard As regular as clockwork
As large as life As right as ninepence
As light as a feather As right as rain
As long as a month of Sundays As safe as houses
As long as my arm As safe as the Bank of England
As loose as a goose As scarce as hen's teeth
As mad as a bear with a sore head As sharp as a tack
As mad as a hatter As sick as a dog
As mad as a March hare As sick as a parrot
As mad as a wet hen As silent as the grave
As many chins as a Chinese phone As skinny as a rake
book As slippery as an eel
As merry as the day is long As slow as molasses in January
As mild as milk As sly as a fox
As miserable as sin As small as the hairs on a gnat's
As naked as a jaybird bollock
As near as dammit As smooth as a baby's bottom
As neat as a new pin As smooth as silk
As nervous as a long tailed cat in a As snug as a bug in a rug
room full of rocking chairs As sober as a judge
As nervous as a whore in church As solid as a rock
As sound as a bell As tight as a drum
As stiff as a poker As tight as a duck's arse
As straight as a die As tough as old boots
As straight as an arrow As true as the day is long
As strong as an ox As ugly as sin
As stubborn as a mule As useless as a chocolate fireguard
As sure as God made little green As useless as a chocolate teapot
apples As useless as tits on a boar
As sure as eggs is eggs As warm as toast
As sweet as a nut As weak as gnat's piss
As sweet as pie As well as can be expected
As thick as thieves As white as a ghost
As thick as two short planks As white as a sheet
As thin as a rail As white as snow
As thin as a rake As wise as an owl
As tight as Dick's hatband
The persistence of many of these phrases is demonstrated by the high
percentage that have lasted since the 18th century, when Jonathan Swift
published the poem A New Song of Similes, 1757:
(Note the use of the long 's', which was used in the original publishing of the
poem and is (somewhat inadequately) represented here as a lowercase 'f'.)
My paffion is as muftard ftrong; She laughs to fee me pale,
I fit all fober fad, And merry as a grig is grown,
Drunk as a piper all day long, And brifk as bottled ale.
Or like a March hare mad. The god of love at her approach
Round as a hoop the bumpers flow Is bufy as a bee!
; Hearts found as any bell or roach
I drink, yet can't forget her ; Are fmit, and figh like me.
For, tho' as drunk as David's fow, Ay me! as thick as hops or hail,
I love her ftill the better. The fine men croud about her:
Pert as a pear-monger I'd be, But foon as dead as a door-nail
If Molly were but kind ; Shall I be, if without her.
Cool as a cucumber could fee Strait as my leg her fhape appears;
The reft of woman-kind. O were we join'd together!
Like a ftuck pig I gaping ftare, My heart would be fcot-free from
And eye her o'er and o'er ; cares,
Lean as a rake with fighs and care, And lighter than a feather.
Sleek as a moufe before. As fine as fivepence is her mien;
Plump as a partridge was I known, No drum was ever tighter ;
And foft as filk my fkin ; Her glance is as the razor keen,
My cheeks as fat as butter grown; And not the Sun is brighter.
But as a groat now thin. As foft as pap her kiffes are ;
I melancholy as a cat Methinks I tafte them yet ;
Am kept awake to weep ; Brown as a berry is her hair,
But fhe, infenfible of that, Her eyes as black as jet.
Sound as a top can fleep. As fmooth as glafs, as white as
Hard is her heart as flint or flone; curds,
 Her pretty hand invites : Let who would take Peru!
Sharp as a needle are her words ; Great as an emp'ror fhould I be,
Her wit like pepper bites. And richer than a Jew.
Brifk as a body-loufe fhe trips, Till you grow tender as a chick,
Clean as a penny dreft ; I'm dull as any poft :
Sweet as a rofe her breath and lips, Let us like burs together flick,
Round as the globe her breaft. And warm as any toaft.
Full as an egg was I with glee, You'll know me truer than a dye,
And happy as a king! And wifh me better fped,
Good Lord! how all men envy'd me Flat as a flounder when I lie,
She lov'd like any thing. And as a herring dead.
But falfe as hell, fhe, like the wind, Sure at a gun fhe'll drop a tear.
Chang'd, as her Sex muft do ; And figh perhaps, and wifh,
Tho' feeming as the turtle kind, When I am rotten as a pear,
And like the gofpel true. And mute as any fifh.
If I and Molly could agree,
Similes Meaning
as agile as a monkey very quick
as blind as a bat completely blind
as brave as a lion very brave
as busy as an ant very busy
as calm as a cat very calm
as crafty as a fox very cunning
as devoted as a mother very dedicated
as fast as a deer very fast
as fat as a pig very fat
as feeble as a child very weak or delicate
as fierce as a lion very ferocious
as frisky as a lamb very energetic
as gentle as a dove having a kindly or tender nature
as graceful as a swan very elegant
as hairy as a gorilla very hairy
as happy as a king very happy
as harmless as a dove very innocent
as heavy as an elephant very heavy
as hungry as a hunter very hungry
as industrious as a beaver very active and hardworking
as like as two herring identical or look alike
as loyal as an apostle very trustworthy
as meek as a lamb very timid
as playful as a kitten very lively
as poor as a church mouse very poor

List of similes and their meanings to show some distinctive qualities of things;

Similes Meaning
as black as coal completely black
as brown as a berry completely brown
as changeable as the subject to change
weather
as clear as a bell very clear
as cold as ice very cold
as dry as a bone completely dry
as easy as ABC very easy
as fit as a fiddle in very good health
as flat as a pancake completely flat
as fresh as a daisy very fresh
as good as gold very good
as green as grass completely green
as light as a feather >
very light
as alike as two peas <
identical or look alike
as old as the hills very old
as open as day completely open
as quick as lightning very quick
as regular as the clock happens at exactly regular times
as right as rain feeling completely well or
healthy
as round as a barrel completely round
as safe as houses very safe
as sharp as a needle very sharp
as smooth as velvet very smooth
as soft as butter very soft
as sweet as honey very sweet

A Simile is when two things are directly compared because they share a common feature.

A Simile is a type of metaphor in which the comparison is made with the use of the words
LIKE or AS.

A metaphor also offers a figurative comparison, but 'implied' rather than introduced by As or
Like.
AS ... LIKE ...
_______________________________________________ ____________________________
* As wet as a dog's nose * His nose was wet, like a dog's
* As slippery as an eel * Slippery like an eel
* As slow as a snail * She was slow like a snail
Examples of Similes
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things in an interesting way.
The object of a simile is to spark an interesting connection in a reader's or listener's
mind. A simile is one of the most common forms of figurative language. Similes can be
found just about anywhere from poems to song lyrics and even in everyday
conversations.
Similes and metaphors are often confused with one another. The main difference
between a simile and metaphor is that a simile uses the words "like" or "as" to draw
a comparison and a metaphor simply states the comparison without using "like" or
"as". An example of a simile is: She is as innocent as an angel. An example of a
metaphor is: She is an angel.
Similes in Everyday Language
Similes are used in literature to make writing more vivid and powerful. In everyday
speech they can be used to convey meaning quickly and effectively, as many
commonly used expressions are similes. For example, when someone says "He is as
busy as a bee," it means he is working hard, as bees are known to be extremely busy.
If someone says "I am as snug as a bug in a rug," they mean that they feel very
comfortable and cozy or are tucked up tight in bed.
Some other well-known similes you will often hear are:
 As cute as a kitten  As cool as a cucumber
 As happy as a clam  As hard as nails
 As light as a feather  As hot as hell
 As blind as a bat  As innocent as a lamb
 As bold as brass  As tall as a giraffe
 As bright as a button  As tough as nails
 As shiny as a new pin  As white as a ghost
 As cold as ice  As sweet as sugar
 As common as dirt  As black as coal
As with a lot of figurative language, when talking to someone from another region
or who's not speaking in their native language they might not get the meaning of
many similes.
Similes Add Depth to Language
Similes can make our language more descriptive and enjoyable. Writers, poets, and
songwriters make use of similes often to add depth and emphasize what they are
trying to convey to the reader or listener. Similes can be funny, serious, mean, or
creative.
Following are some more examples of similes regularly used in writing:
 You were as brave as a lion.
 They fought like cats and dogs.
 He is as funny as a barrel of monkeys.
 This house is as clean as a whistle.
 He is as strong as an ox.
 Your explanation is as clear as mud.
 Watching the show was like watching grass grow.
 That is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.
 This contract is as solid as the ground we stand on.
 That guy is as nutty as a fruitcake.
 Don't just sit there like a bump on a log.
 Well, that went over like a lead balloon.
 They are as different as night and day.
 She is as thin as a rake.
 Last night, I slept like a log.
 This dress is perfect because it fits like a glove.
 They wore jeans, which made me stand out like a sore thumb.
 My love for you is as deep as the ocean.
 I am so thirsty that my throat is as dry as a bone.
Examples of similes can be seen in classic literature, such as in the poem "A Red, Red
Rose" by Robert Burns:
"O my Luve is like a red, red rose That's newly sprung in June; O my Luve is like the
melodyThat's sweetly played in tune."
Another example of a simile can be found in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. When
Romeo talks to Mercutio before the Capulets' party, he makes the following
comparison about love:
"Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn."
Similes can often be found in song lyrics, as they let you convey deeper meaning
with fewer words. For example:
 My heart is like an open highway. - "It's My Life," Bon Jovi
 It's been a hard days night, and I've been working like a dog. - "A Hard Day's
Night," The Beatles
 And it seems to me you lived your life, Like a candle in the wind. - "Candle in the
Wind," Elton John
 You're as cold as ice. - "Cold As Ice," Foreigner
 Steady as a preacher, Free as a weed - "American Honey," Lady Antebellum
You can even find similes in popular ads and company slogans such as:
 Chevrolet: Built Like A Rock
 Doritos: Tastes Like Awesome Feels
 State Farm: Like A Good Neighbor
 Almond Joy / Mounds: Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't.
 Honda: The Honda's ride is as smooth as a gazelle in the Sahara. It's comfort is
like a hug from Nana.

List of AS...AS Similes

This is a list of well-known as...as similes. There are more similes, of course, some
common and others less common because anyone can make a simile at any time--
you too!
simile meaning comment
as alike as two peas in a pod identical or nearly so
as bald as a coot completely bald
as big as a bus very big
as big as an elephant very big
as black as a sweep completely black sweep = chimney sweep
as black as coal completely black
as black as pitch completely black
as blind as a bat completely blind may be exaggeration
as blind as a mole completely blind may be exaggeration
as bold as brass very bold usually in a negative
sense
as brave as a lion very brave
as bright as a button very bright
as bright as a new pin very bright and shiny
as busy as a beaver very busy
as busy as a bee very busy
as busy as a cat on a hot tin very busy
roof
as calm as a millpond very calm and still usually said of water
as clear as a bell very clear of a sound
as clean as a whistle very clean
as clear as crystal very clear
as clear as mud not at all clear irony or sarcasm
as cold as ice very cold
as common as dirt very common, rude, usually said of a person
vulgar
as cool as a cucumber cool
as cunning as a fox cunning
as dead as a doornail dead
as dead as the dodo dead, extinct the dodo is an extinct
bird
as deaf as a post completely deaf may be exaggeration
as different as chalk from very different
cheese
as drunk as a lord completely drunk
as dry as a bone very dry
as dry as dust very dry
as dull as dishwater dull, boring usually said of a person
as easy as A.B.C. very easy
as easy as apple-pie very easy
as flat as a pancake completely flat
as free as a bird very free to go
anywhere
as fresh as a daisy very fresh
as gentle as a lamb very gentle usually said of a person
as good as gold very good and obedient usually said of a person
as happy as a lark very happy usually said of a person
as hard as nails very tough in character of a person
as hot as hell very hot
as hungry as a bear very hungry
as hungry as a wolf very hungry
as innocent as a lamb innocent, not worldly- usually said of a person
wise
as large as life conspicuously present
as light as a feather very light
as light as air very light
as mad as a hatter completely crazy
as mad as a hornet very angry
as nutty as a fruitcake completely crazy
as obstinate as a mule very obstinate, stubborn
as old as the hills very, very old
as pale as death very pale or white in the of a person
face
as plain as day very clear
as poor as a church mouse poverty-stricken
as poor as dirt poverty-stricken
as proud as a peacock very proud
as pure as snow pure and innocent
as pure as the driven snow pure and innocent
as quick as a wink very quick(ly)
as quick as lightning very quick(ly)
as quick as silver very quick
as quiet as a church mouse very quiet
as safe as houses very safe, secure
as scarce as hen's teeth very, very scarce irony (hens have no
teeth)
as sharp as a razor very sharp
as sick as a dog very sick
as sick as a parrot very sick
as silent as the dead completely silent
as silent as the grave completely silent
as slippery as an eel slippery, evasive of a person
as slow as a snail very slow
as slow as a tortoise very slow
as smooth as silk very smooth
as snug as a bug in a rug in a very comfortable humorous
position
as sober as a judge sober
as solid as a rock solid
as solid as the ground we solid
stand on
as sound as a bell very clear of a sound
as sour as vinegar very sour
as steady as a rock very steady
as stiff as a board completely stiff
as straight as an arrow straight an arrow flies straight
as strong as an ox very strong
as stubborn as a mule very stubborn, obstinate
as sturdy as an oak very strong and solid
as sure as death and taxes absolutely certain to
happen
as tall as a giraffe very tall
as thin as a rake very thin
as timid as a rabbit very timid
as tough as leather very tough
as tough as nails very tough often said of a person
as tough as old boots very tough often said of a person
as welcome as a skunk at a not welcome at all irony or sarcasm
lawn party (skunks stink)
as white as a ghost very pale or white in the of a person
face
as white as a sheet pure white
as white as snow pure white
as wise as Solomon very wise King Solomon
as wise as an owl very wise
Exercise instructions
Choose the best answer to fill the gap in each of the following:

check | answers | reset

1 Is there anything to eat? I'm as hungry as a .
2 It hasn't rained for months – the ground's as dry as a .
3 You'll have to speak up when you're with Tom; he's as deaf as a .
4 Mike was so embarrassed when we found out he was lying: his face was as red as
a .
5 I can't see a thing without my glasses. I'm as blind as a .
6 Your brother's as thin as a . Is he eating enough?
7 I promise I won't wake you up when I get home. I'll be as quiet as
a .
8 This bag's not heavy – it's as light as a .

Read the sentences.

The wrestler was strong.
The wrestler was as strong as an ox.
He is very busy.
He is as busy as a bee.
The two sentences make the same statement. We are told that the wrestler was
strong. But the second sentence expresses the same thing in a more interesting
manner. The expression as strong as an ox is called a simile.
A simile is a phrase that describes something by making a comparison between one
person or thing and another of a different kind using the word as or like.
Complete the following using suitable words from the box.
[bee, mule, bat, mouse, wolf, lamb, lightning, peacock, furnace, grass, lead, feather,
fox, cucumber, honey, deer, peas, egg, fiddle, rock]
1. As light as a ………………… ..
2. As sweet as ………………………
3. As bald as an ………………… .
4. As cunning as a ………………… .
5. As blind as a ………………… .
6. As busy as a ………………… .
7. As hungry as a ………………… .
8. As cool as a ………………… .
9. As steady as a ………………… .
10. As quick as ………………… .
11. As busy as ………………… .
12. As swift as ………………… .
13. As obstinate as ………………… .
14. As heavy as ………………… .
15. As like as two ………………… .
16. As timid as a ………………… .
17. As proud as a ………………… .
18. As gentle as a ………………… .
19. As hot as a ………………… .
20. As green as ………………… .
Answers
1. As light as a feather
2. As sweet as honey
3. As bald as an egg
4. As cunning as a fox
5. As blind as a bat
6. As busy as a bee
7. As hungry as a wolf
8. As cool as a cucumber
9. As steady as a rock
10. As quick as lightning
11. As busy as a bee
12. As swift as a hare
13. As obstinate as a mule
14. As heavy as lead
15. As like as two peas
16. As timid as a deer
17. As proud as a peacock
18. As gentle as a lamb
19. As hot as a furnace
20. As green as grass
dentify the figure of speech used in the following sentences.
1. The righteous shall flourish as the palm tree.
simile
metaphor
personification
2. Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale.
Simile
Metaphor
Hyperbole
3. The camel is the ship of the desert.
Simile
Metaphor
Oxymoron
4. Variety is the spice of life.
Simile
Personification
Metaphor
5. Pride goeth forth on horseback, grand and gay.
Oxymoron
Apostrophe
Personification
6. O Solitude! Where are the charms that sages have seen in thy face?
Personification
Hyperbole
Apostrophe
7. Death lays his icy hands on kings.
Epigram
Apostrophe
Personification
8. Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with tears.
Apostrophe
Metaphor
Hyperbole
9. O Hamlet! Thou hast cleft my heart in twain.
Metaphor
Oxymoron
Hyperbole
10. Man proposes, God disposes.
Antithesis
Hyperbole
Oxymoron
11. Many are called, but few are chosen.
Antithesis
Apostrophe
Personification
12. Here is the smell of blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten
this little hand.
Euphemism
Oxymoron
Hyperbole
Answers
1. The righteous shall flourish as the palm tree. (Simile)
2. Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale. (Simile)
3. The camel is the ship of the desert. (Metaphor)
4. Variety is the spice of life. (Metaphor)
5. Pride goeth forth on horseback, grand and gay. (Personification)
6. O Solitude! Where are the charms that sages have seen in thy face?
(Apostrophe)
7. Death lays his icy hands on kings. (Personification)
8. Why, man, if the river were dry, I am able to fill it with tears. (Hyperbole)
9. O Hamlet! Thou hast cleft my heart in twain. (Hyperbole)
10. Man proposes, God disposes. (Antithesis)
11. Many are called, but few are chosen. (Antithesis)
12. Here is the smell of blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this
little hand. (Hyperbole)