What is a Metaphor?

A metaphor is a figure of speech that says that A is B:

Note that a metaphor does not say that A is like B. With metaphor, A is B. So the speaker can use fewer words and force the listener to find the similarities, creating images in his head.

Look at some more examples of simple metaphor using nouns:

• John is a pig when he eats. (Here, pig is a metaphor for John.)
• Her home was a prison. (Here, prison is a metaphor for her home.)

With metaphor, the concept is that one thing is described by another, usually more graphic, thing. Metaphor uses symbols. So metaphor can use verbs as well as nouns:

• You light up my life.
• John grunted between mouthfuls.
• She felt imprisoned in her own house.
• The committee shot her idea down in flames.
• His head was spinning with ideas.

See more about metaphor.