What is a simile?

A simile is a kind of metaphor, but with manners. Instead of declaring that one thing is another, it softly suggests:

“It’s like this.”

“It’s as that.”

Similes make comparisons using the words like or as.

Let’s go back to Forrest Gump, Eric Roth’s brilliant adaptation of Winston Groom’s novel. Everyone knows the line:

“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

That’s a simile.

It takes the randomness of life and uses something familiar and tangible. We’ve all opened a mystery chocolate and hoped for caramel instead of liver-flavored surprise. Roth uses the comparison to make the unpredictable nature of life not just understandable, but memorable.

A few scenes later, the doctor fits young Forrest with orthopedic shoes and tells his momma,

“His back is as crooked as a politician.”

That’s another simile, but this time, with a punch of satire. It says a lot in a few short words. You see the image. You feel the opinion. You definitely understand it.  That’s one heck of a crooked back!

Similes help writers express abstract emotions or ideas. They convey unique physical traits or social commentary quickly and often profoundly. They add flavor without overwhelming the reader, and they make your prose stick.

In my previous post on metaphors, I gave you a list of words to turn abstract ideas, feelings, and/or physical traits into metaphors. 

Here it is again: turn a few abstract ideas into similes using like or as:

Backpack (burdens, responsibilities, emotional load)

Window (perspective, opportunity, detachment)

Coffee mug (comfort, ritual, warmth, emptiness)

Clock (pressure, inevitability, waiting)

Keys (access, secrecy, trust)

Chair (rest, support, absence when empty)

Umbrella (protection, preparedness, emotional shielding)

Shoes (identity, journey, weariness)

Mirror (self-perception, distortion, reflection)

Blanket (comfort, safety, childhood)

Light switch (choices, control, sudden clarity)

Mailbox (expectation, communication, disappointment)

Fridge (nourishment, routine, emotional coldness)

Pillow (secrets, vulnerability, grief)

Pen (expression, permanence, control)

Door (opportunity, escape, boundaries)

Notebook (memory, potential, silence)

Remote control (power, passivity, distraction)

Soap (cleansing, guilt, attempts to forget)

Curtain (concealment, performance, privacy)

Wallet (identity, value, insecurity)

Thermostat (emotional regulation, tension, climate of a relationship)

Calendar (hope, fear of the future, routine)

Glasses (clarity, perspective, inherited views)

Toothbrush (ritual, care, neglect)

Cat (independence, mystery, selective affection, unpredictability)

Dog (loyalty, need for connection, unconditional love, dependency)

Bowling pin (resilience, repeated defeat, vulnerability in groups)

Swimming pool (depth, illusion of safety, memory, stagnation)

Tires (burnout, wear-and-tear, traction vs. spinning)

Doughnut (emptiness at the center, sweetness hiding voids, indulgence)

Dreamcatcher (hope, protection, illusions, selective memory)

Seashell (echoes, hidden beauty, detachment from origin)

Teddy bear (childhood safety, comfort clung to in adulthood, emotional crutches)

Dictionary (limitations of language, order in chaos, prescribed meaning)

Thesaurus (identity in flux, searching for the right self, masks)

Philosopher (overthinking, detachment, yearning for truth, loneliness)

Yoga instructor (balance, forced peace, the performance of calm)

Meditation (discipline, avoidance, space between thoughts)

Closet (hidden truths, repression, secrets)

Fork in the road (decisions, uncertainty, internal conflict)

Cracked phone screen (fractured self-image, distorted communication)

Washing machine (emotional cycles, repetition, cleansing that never ends)

Houseplant (quiet need, neglected care, growth in stillness)

Bluetooth speaker (connection issues, echoing voices, projection)

Receipt (emotional accounting, proof of exchange, unpaid debts)

Sticky note (fleeting thoughts, fragile reminders, impermanence)

Remote control drone (external control, loss of direction, flying but not free)

Backseat (passivity, letting others steer your life, silence)

Screen door (transparency with protection, letting in light but not touch)

Next time, we’ll stretch even further into the world of extended metaphor. In this realm, comparisons can carry an entire scene, story, or theme.

Happy Writing!

M.C. Convery