metaphor

[met-uh-fawr, -fer] / ˈmɛt əˌfɔr, -fər /

NOUN

figure of speech, implied comparison

Synonyms

STRONGEST

analogy image symbol

STRONG

allegory emblem hope metonymy personification similitude trope

Antonyms

WEAK

plain speech

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She leans into the culinary metaphor when asked about her secret sauce.

From Los Angeles Times

Or, if that metaphor doesn’t appeal to you, how about a late-inning relief pitcher warming up in the bullpen?

From Salon

Is the show a metaphor about the encroachment of AI?

From MarketWatch

The year 2025 was more tumultuous than any silly football game and its accompanying overwrought metaphors.

From Los Angeles Times

Or maybe it just sounded like a cool phrase, and no one involved grasped the weirdness of the metaphor.

From Salon