Metaphor-Simile | Commonly Confused Words

Metaphor

/ˈmetəfə/

A figure of speech where a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

Religious metaphors abound.But there's more to the muscle metaphor.The 'journey' metaphor illuminates life's unpredictability.

This word has no antonyms

/ˈsɪməli/

A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words 'like' or 'as'

Her smile was as bright as the sun itself.The garden was as lively as a bustling city market.His voice was as smooth as velvet curtains falling.

Both simile and metaphor are figures of speech used for comparison, but simile uses like or as while metaphor does not.
A simile says something is like something else, while a metaphor states something is something else.
Similes are often more explicit in their comparative nature, whereas metaphors can provide deeper meaning or symbolic resonance.
Remember, if you see like or as, it's a simile.
A metaphor can make descriptions more engaging and can convey emotions more powerfully due to its directness.