Daily Word Categories

metaphor

/หˆmษ›t.ษ™.fษ”ห(ษน)/
B2 ยท Upper Int.โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†
noun

Simple Meaning

a way of describing something by saying it is something else, to make a comparison.

When to Use

๐Ÿ“šAcademic Writing๐Ÿ“Exam Vocabulary
Upper Intermediate โ€” fluent in familiar topics

Examples in Conversation

โ€œIn the poem, 'life is a journey' is a metaphor for growing up.โ€

โ€œCan you explain the metaphor in that song? I don't get it.โ€

โ–ถFull Definition

The use of a word or phrase to refer to something that it is not, invoking a direct similarity between the word or phrase used and the thing described (but in the case of English without the words like or as, since use of those words would imply a simile); the word or phrase used in this way; an implied comparison.

Related Words

Synonyms:
comparisonfigure of speech
Antonyms:
literal
Word Family:
metaphormetaphoricalmetaphorically