55+ Metaphor Examples, Plus Instructing Concepts and Extra

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Writers use figurative language like metaphors to carry their writing to life. However what precisely is a metaphor (and the way is it completely different from a simile)? Study extra about this literary system, and get metaphor examples and educating concepts in your college students.

What’s a metaphor?

A metaphor is a literary system that pulls a comparability between two in any other case unrelated issues. It’s used to make an concept extra relatable to the reader, or to evoke an emotional response. Metaphors typically use hyperbole, or exaggerated language, to color a vivid image.

Instance: At the moment’s historical past examination was a complete nightmare.

Metaphors are examples of figurative language, the place the phrases are significant however not strictly true. Within the above instance, the speaker doesn’t imply that they fell asleep throughout their examination and had a nightmare. As an alternative, they’re drawing a comparability between the 2 to assist the reader perceive how horrible the expertise was.

Metaphor vs. Analogy

Metaphors are much like one other literary system, the analogy. Nonetheless, a metaphor is used to evoke feeling and emotion. A author makes use of an analogy to assist the reader draw a logical conclusion. When you’re making an attempt to determine if a phrase is a metaphor or an analogy, ask whether or not it’s meant to impress an emotional response or assist a reader perceive one thing by logic.

Metaphor: Time is a remorseless river.
Analogy: Time is sort of a speedy river, flowing remorselessly onward. Attempting to swim upstream is futile; you could merely go the place the currents take you.

Metaphor vs. Simile

So as to add to the confusion, similes are one other kind of figurative language comparability used as a literary system. In a simile, although, the author makes use of the phrases “like” or “as” reasonably than making a direct comparability.

Metaphor: The sound of her voice was music to their ears.
Simile: Her voice was like music.

Learn more about similes here.

What are the several types of metaphors?

We are able to break metaphors down into particular sorts:

Commonplace

That is probably the most primary kind of metaphor, by which the author merely makes a acknowledged comparability between two unrelated issues.

Commonplace metaphor instance: Racism is a deadly illness for our society.

The direct comparability right here is between racism and a illness, bluntly acknowledged and straightforward to determine.

Implied

Implied: In an implied metaphor, the author is extra refined, utilizing imagery to evoke the comparability between two issues.

Implied metaphor instance: It was time for Elijah to unfold his wings and fly.

Through the use of language about wings and flying, the creator implies a metaphor between Elijah and a hen.

Visible

In a visible metaphor, a picture replaces or reinforces the phrases. This basic public service announcement from the Eighties is a wonderful visible metaphor instance:

Prolonged

Because the title implies, an prolonged metaphor is greater than only one sentence. It may be a collection of traces in poetry, or a theme carried by paragraphs (or a whole guide) in prose. Analogies can seem to be prolonged metaphors, however do not forget that analogies are supposed to assist the reader draw logical conclusions, whereas metaphors provoke an emotional response.

Prolonged metaphor instance: “The dim attic was a forgotten lifetime. Cobwebs within the corners have been shadowy recollections, and rusty locked trunks held the handed years. A layer of sentimental mud lay over all, a blanket of lamented time passed by.”

Every sentence on this paragraph extends the metaphorical connection between the attic and a life lived way back.

Lifeless

The time period “lifeless metaphor” can be utilized in a number of methods, but it surely typically means a metaphorical expression that has misplaced its energy over time. This is likely to be as a result of the unique which means of a phrase has modified or that it has fallen out of use. A lifeless metaphor will also be an overused cliche, one which we’ve all heard so typically it not has a lot impression.

Lifeless metaphor instance: That comment was actually past the pale.

You’ve most likely heard this phrase, however have you learnt what it really means? A few years in the past, “the pale” referred to a wood stake used to mark a boundary line. To say one thing was “past the pale” meant that it crossed an accepted boundary. This phrase remains to be used at this time, although few know what it really means, making it a lifeless metaphor.

Combined Metaphors

What in regards to the phrase “blended metaphors”? As soon as once more, the clue is within the title: A blended metaphor is when the author or speaker mixes two comparisons into one metaphor, making issues extra complicated as an alternative of clearer. Combined metaphors are sometimes mixtures of well-known phrases.

We’ll cross that bridge when the ball is in our courtroom.

This sentence combines two frequent metaphors. The primary, “We’ll cross that bridge after we come to it,” compares coping with a difficulty or making a call to crossing a bridge. The second, “The ball is in our courtroom,” makes a connection between taking your flip in a ball sport and coping with a difficulty or a call. Put collectively, the 2 frankly sound a little bit bit foolish, so robust writers attempt to keep away from mixing metaphors.

Common Metaphor Examples

A deep red rose, with text reading — We Are Academics / RitaE by way of Pixabay

Tom is the black sheep of his household.
The huge parking zone was a Sahara underneath the relentless solar.
As the kids began to work, the classroom grew to become a beehive of exercise.
Laughter is the most effective medication.
Time is a thief, stealing moments away earlier than we all know it.
Her smile was a lighthouse, guiding him safely throughout the crowded room.
Li’s anger was a volcano, able to erupt at any second.
Romance is the important thing to her coronary heart.
Olivia’s phrases have been sharp daggers, reducing Jordan right down to dimension.
To Leslie, the vacant lot was a clean canvas, ready to be became a ravishing park.
Your bed room is a pigsty—clear it up!
A storm of feelings brewed deep inside, underneath Juan’s calm exterior.
Life is a journey, so get pleasure from every step alongside the way in which.
Her shrill snicker was nails on a chalkboard to me.
Love is a rose, with candy perfume and sharp thorns.
If I’m going to get all this work achieved on time, I’ll have to be an actual machine at this time.
With our boss out of city for the week, this place is an actual circus.
As she watched him sing, April’s face was an open guide.
Assad’s eyes have been deep swimming pools, drawing him in.
Layla’s delight is her armor, defending her from all assaults.

Metaphor Examples From Literature

Lines of backed-up traffic, with text reading “He glanced out the rear window
at the iron centipede of traffic.”
–Sins of Two Fathers, Denis Hamill — We Are Academics / aled7 by way of Pixabay

“I’m a riddle in 9 syllables.” (“Metaphors” by Sylvia Plath)
“All of the world’s a stage, and all of the women and men merely gamers.” (As You Like It by William Shakespeare)
“Hope is the factor with feathers / that perches within the soul.” (“Hope Is the Thing With Feathers” by Emily Dickinson)
“It’s the east, and Juliet is the solar.” (Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare)
“Her mouth was a fountain of pleasure.” (The Storm by Kate Chopin)
“Mr. Neck storms into class, a bull chasing thirty-three pink flags.” (Communicate by Laurie Anderson)
“The solar was a toddler insistently refusing to go to mattress: It was previous eight thirty and nonetheless mild.”(The Fault in Our Stars by John Inexperienced)
“Gentle the primary web page, mild the second web page. Every turns into a black butterfly. Stunning, eh?” (Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury)
“He glanced out the rear window on the iron centipede of site visitors.” (Sins of Two Fathers by Denis Hamill)
“His grin is a big plastic comb of tooth.” (Anagrams by Lorrie Moore)
“Don’t go mild into that good night time / Rage, rage in opposition to the dying of the sunshine.” (“Don’t go mild into that good night time” by Dylan Thomas
“Timber are poems the earth writes upon the sky.” (Sand and Foam by Kahlil Gibran)
“Time rises and rises, and when it reaches the extent of your eyes you drown.” (The Blind Murderer by Margaret Atwood)
“Fame is a bee / It has a track— / It has a sting— / Ah, too, it has a wing.” (“Fame Is a Bee” by Emily Dickinson)
“Center C is the stomach button of the piano.” (I Might Inform You Tales by Patricia Hampl)

Metaphor Examples From Songs

Highway stretching off into the distance. Text reads “Life is a highway. I wanna ride it all night long.”
–Life is a Highway, Tom Cochrane — We Are Academics / Pexels by way of Pixabay

“Child, you’re a firework! Come on, let your colours burst.” (“Firework” by Katy Perry)
“Love is a battlefield.” (“Love Is a Battlefield” by Pat Benatar)
“Life is a freeway. I wanna trip all of it night time lengthy.” (“Life Is a Freeway” by Tom Cochrane)
“You’re the sunshine of my life.” (“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Marvel)
“You ain’t nothing however a hound canine, crying on a regular basis.” (“Hound Canine” by Elvis Presley)
“I’m the sunshine in your hair / I’m the shadow on the bottom.” (“I’m Already There” by Lonestar)
“I’m the satellite tv for pc, and also you’re the sky.” (“Cecilia and the Satellite tv for pc” by Andrew McMahon)
“My coronary heart’s a stereo / It beats for you so hear shut.” (“Stereo Hearts” by Maroon 5)
“You’re the thunder and I’m the lightning.” (“Naturally” by Selena Gomez)
“I’m a hot-air balloon that would go to house.” (“Completely satisfied” by Pharrell Williams)
“My lover’s obtained humor / She’s the giggle at a funeral.” (“Take Me to Church” by Hozier)
“All in all you’re simply one other brick within the wall.” (“One other Brick within the Wall” by Pink Floyd)
“And he’s watching us all with the attention of the tiger.” (“Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor)
“I obtained that sunshine in my pocket.” (“Can’t Cease the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake)
“You’re my kryptonite / You retain making me weak.” (“One Factor” by One Route)

How To Train Metaphors

Along with sharing metaphor examples with college students, strive these good educating concepts.

Write paint chip poetry

Paint chip with shades of orange, with various metaphors for the word orange on each color — Fabulous in Fifth by way of mrshallfabulousinfourth.blogspot.com

Children will love this inventive exercise the place they write coloration metaphors on paint chip samples. Grasp a bulletin board filled with them, and also you’ll have a vivid metaphor show for the classroom!

Study extra: Paint Chip Poetry via Fabulous in Fifth

Combine and match similes and metaphors

A flip book illustrated by a child, with different page sections showing metaphors and similes) — Teaching in Room 6 by way of teachinginroom6.com

This split-page guide is a lot enjoyable for youths to make, and it provides them observe with figurative language like metaphors, similes, and extra.

Study extra: Mix-and-Match Metaphors via Teaching in Room 6

Take the metaphor problem

A pile of colorful slips of paper, each with a different word printed on it — Learning in Room 213 by way of learninginroom213.com

This one is nice for center or highschool, since it may be a bit powerful. Every scholar attracts a slip of paper with a random phrase or phrase on it. Then they companion up and attempt to create a metaphor that hyperlinks their two phrases collectively.

Study extra: Metaphor Challenge via Learning in Room 213