simile
gb/sˈɪmˌaɪl/ us/sˈɪmˌaɪl/
B2
English
hasonlat
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
1
hasonlat
B2
Usage pattern:
a simile; a simile comparing [something] to [something]; a simile with like/as
“The water was as smooth as glass” is a simile.
„A víz sima volt, mint az üveg” egy hasonlat.
The poet uses a simile to compare the moon to a silver coin.
A költő hasonlattal egy ezüstpénzhez hasonlítja a holdat.
Try to avoid clichéd similes such as “busy as a bee” unless they fit the tone.
Learner examples
“He runs like the wind” is a simile.
„Úgy fut, mint a szél” egy hasonlat.
We learned about similes in English class.
Az angolórán a hasonlatokról tanultunk.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse a simile with a metaphor: a simile usually says something is like something else; a metaphor says something is something else.
Meaning
comparison using like or as
Collocations
use a simile
|write a simile
|create a simile
|a vivid simile
|a simple simile
|an extended simile
|a poetic simile
|a clichéd simile
|a common simile
|a simile comparing one thing to another
Synonyms
comparison (Broader and more general; not always figurative or literary.)
|
figure of speech (Broader term that includes similes, metaphors, and other figurative expressions.)
|
analogy (Often a more developed comparison used to explain an idea, not necessarily with “like” or “as.”)
Antonyms
literal statement (Says exactly what is meant without figurative comparison.)
|
metaphor (A contrasting figure of speech that says one thing is another rather than using “like” or “as.”)
Themes
language
|literature
|writing
|education
Definition
A way of describing something by saying it is like something else, for example “Her smile was like the sun.”
A figure of speech that compares one thing with another, typically using words such as “like” or “as,” in order to describe something more vividly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
simile
IPA
GB/sˈɪmˌaɪl/
US/sˈɪmˌaɪl/
Syllables & stress
simile (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (simile)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: simile
- Plural: simile, similes
Expressions
epic simile
1/ˈɛpɪk sˈɪmˌaɪl/
fixed phrase
technical
elaborate epic-poetry simile
A long, detailed simile used in epic poems.
Examples
- Students identified an epic simile in which the battlefield is compared to a storm at sea.
- The translation preserves several of the poem’s epic similes.
Learner examples
- An epic simile is common in ancient epic poems.
- The class studied an epic simile in the poem.
extended simile
1/ɪkstˈɛndɪd sˈɪmˌaɪl/
fixed phrase
technical
long developed simile
A simile that continues for longer than a short phrase.
Examples
- The opening paragraph uses an extended simile comparing the city to a living organism.
- In the poem, the speaker builds an extended simile around a bird trapped indoors.
Learner examples
- The writer uses an extended simile about a storm.
- An extended simile can last for several lines.
homeric simile
1/hoʊmˈɛɹɪk sˈɪmˌaɪl/
fixed phrase
technical
epic simile in Homeric style
A long simile like those used in Homer’s ancient epic poems.
Examples
- The lecture explained how a Homeric simile can slow the narrative while adding emotional force.
- Her essay discusses a Homeric simile that compares warriors to leaves in the wind.
Learner examples
- A Homeric simile is a type of long simile.
- We found a Homeric simile in the ancient poem.