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A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using the words “like” or “as”. For example, “She is as sweet as a rose” is a simile that compares a person to a flower. Similes are used to make descriptions more vivid, interesting, or poetic. They can also help the reader or listener to imagine something more clearly or relate to something more easily.

Some common similes that you might have heard are:

  • He was as brave as a lion.
  • She ran like the wind.
  • He was as cold as ice.
  • She shone like a star.
  • He was as sly as a fox.

Similes are different from metaphors, which are another type of comparison. Metaphors do not use “like” or “as”, but instead say that one thing is another thing. For example, “She is a rose” is a metaphor that implies that she has the qualities of a rose, such as beauty, fragrance, or delicacy.

Similes are very common in literature, especially in poetry and songs. Here are some examples of similes from famous works:

  • My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun (William Shakespeare, Sonnet 130)
  • Life is like a box of chocolates (Forrest Gump)
  • I wandered lonely as a cloud (William Wordsworth, Daffodils)
  • Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? (Langston Hughes, Harlem)
  • Love is like a friendship caught on fire (Bruce Lee)
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