DevicesFoundational
Simile
An explicit comparison using like or as.
Principle
A simile must clarify; an unclear simile clouds twice.
Takeaways
- It is more honest than metaphor and less compressed.
- The vehicle should bring sensory specificity.
- Strain or cuteness collapses the figure.
Overview
Simile compares one thing to another using an explicit marker (like, as, resembled). It distances the comparison slightly, which can serve precision, distance, or wit.
Examples
- She moved through the kitchen like someone disarming a bomb.
- The room smelled like cold copper.
- His voice was as flat as table-water.