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What are metaphors and similes?

Jess as a stick of dynamite

What is a metaphor?

A metaphor is a word or a phrase used to describe something as if it were something else:

  • For example, "A wave of terror washed over him."
  • The terror isn't actually a wave, but a wave is a good way of describing the feeling.
  • "Jess is dynamite."
  • She's not made of dynamite, but it's a way to explain how exciting she is.
Jess as a stick of dynamite

What is a simile?

A simile describes something by comparing it to something else, using like or as:

  • The snake moved like a ripple on a pond.
  • It was as slippery as an eel.
  • Jess is as graceful as a gazelle.

Try using metaphors and similes to make your own poetry or other writing more descriptive and interesting.

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