{"id":546450,"date":"2023-08-11T11:16:30","date_gmt":"2023-08-11T09:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.nl\/?p=546450"},"modified":"2023-10-26T11:31:48","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T09:31:48","slug":"metaphor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition &#038; Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-md-6 order-2\"><a class=\"colorbox\" href=index-4542.html><img decoding=\"async\" src=index-4543.html alt=\"What Is a Metaphor?\" class=\"mb-4\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-md-6 order-1\">\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A <\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">metaphor <\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">is a figure of speech that implicitly compares two unrelated things, typically by stating that one thing is another (e.g., \u201cthat chef is a magician\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Metaphors can be used to create vivid imagery, exaggerate a characteristic or action, or express a complex idea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Metaphors are commonly used in literature, advertising, and everyday speech.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Metaphors<\/figcaption>You\u2019re a monster!<\/p>\n<p>The exam was a piece of cake.<\/p>\n<p>This town is a <a href=index-4544.html>desert<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The king ruled with an iron fist.<\/figure>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what\">What is a metaphor?<\/h2>\n<p>A metaphor is a rhetorical device that makes a non-literal comparison between two unlike things. Metaphors are used to describe an object or action by stating (or implying) that it <strong>is<\/strong> something else (e.g., \u201cknowledge is a butterfly\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>Metaphors typically have two parts:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A <strong><span class=\"highlight-purple\">tenor<\/span><\/strong> is the thing or idea that the metaphor describes (e.g., \u201cknowledge\u201d).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A <strong><span class=\"highlight-green\">vehicle<\/span><\/strong> is the thing or idea used to describe the tenor (e.g., \u201ca butterfly\u201d).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Metaphor structure<\/figcaption><span class=\"highlight-purple\">You<\/span> are an <span class=\"highlight-green\">open book<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"highlight-purple\">Sophia<\/span> was a <span class=\"highlight-green\"><a href=index-4095.html>loose<\/a> cannon<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"highlight-purple\">Time<\/span> is a <span class=\"highlight-green\">hunter<\/span>.<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"types\">Types of metaphor<\/h2>\n<p>There are several different types of metaphor.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"direct\">Direct metaphor<\/h3>\n<p>A <strong>direct metaphor<\/strong> compares two unrelated things by explicitly stating that one thing is another. Direct metaphors typically use a form of the <a href=index-3523.html>verb<\/a> \u201cbe\u201d to connect two things.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Direct metaphors<\/figcaption>Charlie was a saint!<\/p>\n<p>Ami and Vera are two peas in a pod.<\/p>\n<p>A book is a passport to another world.<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"implied\">Implied metaphor<\/h3>\n<p>An <strong>implied metaphor<\/strong> compares two unlike things without explicitly naming one of them. Instead, a comparison is typically made using a non-literal verb. For example, the statement \u201cthe man erupted in anger\u201d uses the verb \u201cerupted\u201d to compare a man to a volcano.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Implied metaphors<\/figcaption>Her smile lit up the room. [i.e., her smile was as bright as the sun]<\/p>\n<p>The captain barked orders at the soldiers. [i.e., the captain was like an angry dog]<\/p>\n<p>The politician cut down his opponent with his speech. [i.e., the politician\u2019s words were like daggers]<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"extended\">Extended metaphor<\/h3>\n<p>An <strong>extended metaphor<\/strong> (also called a sustained metaphor) occurs when an initial comparison is developed or sustained over several lines or paragraphs (or stanzas, in the case of a poem).<\/p>\n<p>Extended metaphors are commonly used in literature and advertising, but they\u2019re rarely used in <a href=index-4064.html>everyday<\/a> speech.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Example: Extended metaphor in William Shakespeare\u2019s <em>As You Like It<\/em><\/figcaption>All the world\u2019s a stage,<\/p>\n<p>And all the men and women merely players.<\/p>\n<p>They have their exits and their entrances,<\/p>\n<p>And one man in his time plays many parts,<\/p>\n<p>His acts being seven ages.<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"mixed\">Mixed metaphor<\/h3>\n<p>A <strong>mixed metaphor<\/strong> is a figure of speech that combines two or more metaphors, resulting in a confusing or nonsensical statement.<\/p>\n<p>Mixed metaphors are usually accidental and are often perceived as unintentionally humorous. Mixing metaphors can confuse your readers and make your writing seem to lack coherence.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Mixed metaphors<\/figcaption>Put your ducks in a row and don\u2019t count them before they hatch.<\/p>\n<p>She\u2019s a rising star, and with the right guidance, she\u2019ll spread her wings.<\/p>\n<p>Life is a rollercoaster \u2014you need to take it one step at a time.<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"dead\">Dead metaphor<\/h3>\n<p>A <strong>dead metaphor<\/strong> is a figure of speech that has become so familiar due to repeated use that people no longer recognize it as a metaphor. Instead, it\u2019s understood as having a straightforward meaning.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Dead metaphors<\/figcaption>There is a small village at <strong>the foot of the mountain<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The guest of honor sat at <strong>the head of the table<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>On the last <strong>leg of the journey<\/strong>, the travelers encountered several obstacles.<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"simile\">Metaphor vs. simile<\/h2>\n<p>Metaphors and <a href=index-4545.html>similes<\/a> are both rhetorical devices used for comparison. However, they have different functions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A <strong>metaphor<\/strong> makes an implicit comparison between two unlike things, usually by saying that one thing is another thing (e.g., \u201cmy body is a temple\u201d).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A <strong>simile<\/strong> makes an explicit comparison between two unlike things, typically using the words \u201clike,\u201d \u201cas,\u201d or \u201cthan\u201d (e.g., \u201cyou\u2019re as stubborn as a mule\u201d).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Similes<\/figcaption>The storm raged <strong>like an angry beast<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The old man\u2019s beard was <strong>as white as snow<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The athlete\u2019s will was <strong>stronger than iron<\/strong>.<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"analogy\">Metaphor vs. analogy<\/h2>\n<p>There are two main types of analogy:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Identical relationship analogies <\/strong>indicate the logical relationship between two things (e.g., \u201c\u2018Up\u2019 is to \u2018down\u2019 as \u2018on\u2019 is to \u2018off\u2019\u201d).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Shared abstraction analogies <\/strong>compare two unlike things to illustrate a point.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Metaphors are sometimes confused with shared abstraction analogies, but they serve different purposes. While metaphors are primarily used to make a comparison (e.g., \u201cJohn is a caveman\u201d), shared abstraction analogies are used to make an argument or explain something.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Examples: Shared abstraction analogies<\/figcaption>Friendship is like a garden; it requires care and nourishment.<\/p>\n<p>Time is like a river; you cannot stop it from flowing.<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"allegory\">Allegory vs. metaphor<\/h2>\n<p>Metaphors are sometimes confused with allegories, but they have different functions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A <strong>metaphor<\/strong> makes an implied comparison between two unlike things, typically by stating that one thing is another (e.g., \u201ctime is money\u201d).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">An <strong>allegory<\/strong> illustrates abstract concepts, moral principles, or complex ideas through symbolic representation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Allegories are typically longer than metaphors and usually take the form of a story.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left blue\"><figcaption>Example: Allegory<\/figcaption>In the kingdom of Harmony, two trees, Pride and Humility, competed to touch the sky. Pride, boastful and tall, looked down on others. Humility, despite being shorter, embraced all. A storm ravaged the land, toppling Pride, while Humility stood firm, its branches sheltering those in need.<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"worksheet\">Worksheet: Metaphor vs. simile<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can test your knowledge of the difference between metaphors and similes with the worksheet below. Choose whether each sentence contains a metaphor or a simile.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs\" style=\"border: none;\">\n<ul class=\"scribbrTabs-menu\" style=\"background-color: #bbd9f6; font-size: 0.9em; text-align: center;\">\n<li class=\"current\"><a href=index.html#\">Practice questions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#\">Answers and explanations<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-tabs\">\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-content\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc;\">\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You sing like an angel.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The boxer is as strong as an ox.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hannah is a warrior.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your eyes are deeper than the ocean.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of the time, you&#8217;re an angel. But you&#8217;re like a demon when you&#8217;re tired.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"scribbrTabs-content\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc;\">\n<ol>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You sing like an angel.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">This sentence contains a simile because it makes a direct comparison using the word \u201clike.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The boxer is as strong as an ox.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li>This sentence contains a simile because it makes a direct comparison using the word \u201cas.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hannah is a warrior.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li>This sentence contains a metaphor because it makes an implicit comparison by saying that something is something else.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your eyes are deeper than the ocean<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li>This sentence contains a simile because it makes a direct comparison using the word \u201cthan.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of the time, you&#8217;re an angel. But you&#8217;re like a demon when you&#8217;re tired.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li>This sentence contains both a metaphor (\u201cyou are an angel\u201d) and a simile (\u201clike a demon\u201d).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<dl class=\"faq-list faq-list--arrows w-100 my-5\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"extended-metaphor\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4546.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What is an extended metaphor?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"extended-metaphor-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>An <strong>extended metaphor<\/strong> (also called a <strong>sustained metaphor<\/strong>) is a <a href=index-4390.html>metaphor<\/a> that is developed over several lines or paragraphs.<\/p>\n<p>The following is an example of an extended metaphor in William Shakespeare\u2019s <em>Romeo and Juliet<\/em>:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut soft, what light through yonder window breaks?<\/p>\n<p>It is the East, and Juliet is the sun.<\/p>\n<p>Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,<\/p>\n<p>Who is already sick and pale with grief<\/p>\n<p>That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.\u201d<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"example-metaphor\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=index-4547.html class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What is an example of a metaphor?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"example-metaphor-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>A <a href=index-4390.html><strong>metaphor<\/strong><\/a> is a figure of speech that makes a non-literal comparison between two unlike things (typically by saying that something <strong>is<\/strong> something else).<\/p>\n<p>For example, the metaphor \u201cyou are a clown\u201d is not literal but rather used to emphasize a specific, implied quality (in this case, \u201cfoolishness\u201d).<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A metaphor is a figure of speech that implicitly compares two unrelated things, typically by stating that one thing is another (e.g., \u201cthat chef is a magician\u201d). Metaphors can be used to create vivid imagery, exaggerate a characteristic or action, or express a complex idea. Metaphors are commonly used in literature, advertising, and everyday speech. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":152,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"categories":[50553],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>What Is a Metaphor? | Definition &amp; Examples<\/title>\n
<!-- Mirrored from www.scribbr.com/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/546450 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR/YP'2000] -->
<!-- Added by HTTrack --><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /><!-- /Added by HTTrack -->
<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things, usually by stating that one thing is another (e.g., \u201cyou are an angel\u201d).\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=index-4390.html \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition &amp; Examples\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A metaphor is a figure of speech that implicitly compares two unrelated things, typically by stating that one thing is another (e.g., \u201cthat chef is a\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Scribbr\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-08-11T09:16:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-10-26T09:31:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Metaphor-preview-1.webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Eoghan Ryan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Eoghan Ryan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Eoghan Ryan\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/658efeebf81db7418d76d4ff0d48ff4a\"},\"headline\":\"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition &#038; Examples\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-08-11T09:16:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-26T09:31:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/\"},\"wordCount\":1117,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Rhetoric\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/\",\"name\":\"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition & Examples\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-08-11T09:16:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-26T09:31:48+00:00\",\"description\":\"A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things, usually by stating that one thing is another (e.g., \u201cyou are an angel\u201d).\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition &#038; Examples\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/\",\"name\":\"Scribbr\",\"description\":\"The checkpoint for your thesis\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Scribbr\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/scribbr-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/scribbr-logo.png\",\"width\":902,\"height\":212,\"caption\":\"Scribbr\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/scribbr_\",\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/scribbr\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/Scribbr-us\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/658efeebf81db7418d76d4ff0d48ff4a\",\"name\":\"Eoghan Ryan\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f614b0a7203d7b77e86692bca9b9881?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f614b0a7203d7b77e86692bca9b9881?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Eoghan Ryan\"},\"description\":\"Eoghan has a lot of experience with theses and dissertations at bachelor's, MA, and PhD level. He has taught university English courses, helping students to improve their research and writing.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/author\/eoghanr\/\"}]}<\/script>","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition & Examples","description":"A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things, usually by stating that one thing is another (e.g., \u201cyou are an angel\u201d).","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition & Examples","og_description":"A metaphor is a figure of speech that implicitly compares two unrelated things, typically by stating that one thing is another (e.g., \u201cthat chef is a","og_url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/","og_site_name":"Scribbr","article_published_time":"2023-08-11T09:16:30+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-10-26T09:31:48+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Metaphor-preview-1.webp"}],"author":"Eoghan Ryan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Eoghan Ryan","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/"},"author":{"name":"Eoghan Ryan","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/658efeebf81db7418d76d4ff0d48ff4a"},"headline":"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition &#038; Examples","datePublished":"2023-08-11T09:16:30+00:00","dateModified":"2023-10-26T09:31:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/"},"wordCount":1117,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Rhetoric"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/","name":"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition & Examples","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2023-08-11T09:16:30+00:00","dateModified":"2023-10-26T09:31:48+00:00","description":"A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated things, usually by stating that one thing is another (e.g., \u201cyou are an angel\u201d).","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/rhetoric\/metaphor\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Is a Metaphor? | Definition &#038; Examples"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/","name":"Scribbr","description":"The checkpoint for your thesis","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#organization","name":"Scribbr","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/scribbr-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/scribbr-logo.png","width":902,"height":212,"caption":"Scribbr"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/scribbr_","http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/scribbr","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/Scribbr-us\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/658efeebf81db7418d76d4ff0d48ff4a","name":"Eoghan Ryan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f614b0a7203d7b77e86692bca9b9881?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0f614b0a7203d7b77e86692bca9b9881?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Eoghan Ryan"},"description":"Eoghan has a lot of experience with theses and dissertations at bachelor's, MA, and PhD level. He has taught university English courses, helping students to improve their research and writing.","url":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/author\/eoghanr\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546450"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/152"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=546450"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":600251,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/546450\/revisions\/600251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=546450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=546450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=546450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}