Metaphor
noun. A figure of speech that says one thing is another thing — so your heartbreak becomes a storm, your villain a snake, and your inbox a monster.
What is a metaphor?
A metaphor is a literary device that compares two unlike things by saying one is the other, not because they literally are, but because the comparison reveals something deeper.
You’re not saying something is like something else (that’s a simile). You’re going full send: this is that. The connection happens in your reader’s head, not your grammar.
Examples:
- Her voice was velvet.
- Time is a thief.
- He’s a ticking time bomb in a cheap suit.
It’s not about accuracy. It’s about resonance.
How is a metaphor different from a simile?
Both compare things. But a simile uses “like” or “as” (Her voice was like velvet). A metaphor drops the polite language and gets straight to the point (Her voice was velvet).
Think of similes as flirty. Metaphors are committed.
Why do writers use metaphors?
Because metaphors do what plain description can’t: they evoke. They make the abstract feel concrete. The invisible feels visible. The mundane feels magical.
They also:
- Add depth and emotional charge to a sentence.
- Show how a character sees the world.
- Help explain complex ideas in a relatable way.
- Make your prose memorable (or quotable — hi, Instagram captions).
Tips for writing stronger metaphors
- Avoid clichés. We’ve all heard “a heart of stone” and “time flies.” Try digging for something fresh.
- Stay grounded in your story’s world. If you’re writing sci-fi, lean into tech. If you’re in a fantasy forest, maybe skip the toaster references.
- Make it fit your character. A detective might think in metaphors about evidence and danger. A florist might think in petals and roots.
- Less is more. A great metaphor can light up a page. Too many, and you’re in fireworks-on-fire territory.
Examples of metaphor in literature
- “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” — Shakespeare, As You Like It
- “I am the sun and the air.” — The Smiths (okay, lyrics count too)
- “I became a creature of the night. Like a bat. Only less coordinated.” — V.E. Schwab, Vicious
Metaphors are where language stops describing and starts transforming. When used well, they can turn your writing from functional to unforgettable. Perhaps it’s best not to describe everything as a battlefield. Unless it actually is.
