Have you ever said your brother was like a raging bull? If so, then you have made a comparison using a simile. There are a lot of different similes used in the English language. Check out some fun simile examples for kids they can add to their writing.
Simile Definition for Kids
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things. The simile is usually in a phrase that begins with the word "as" or "like." This is different from a metaphor, which is also a comparison, but one that says something is something else. Hopefully, these simile examples for kids will get them excited about using "like" or "as" in their writing.
Simile Examples Using As
Dive into a list of phrases that use the format "as something as something else" to make a comparison.
as American as apple pie | as big as an elephant |
as black as coal | as blind as a bat |
as boring as watching paint dry | as brave as a lion |
as busy as a bee | as cheap as dirt |
as clean as a whistle | as clear as mud |
as clear as crystal | as cold as ice |
as cool as a cucumber | as cunning as a fox |
as dead as a doornail | as deaf as a post |
as difficult as nailing jelly to a tree | as dry as a bone |
as dull as dishwater | as easy as ABC |
as fit as a fiddle | as flat as a pancake |
as free as a bird | as fresh as a daisy |
as gentle as a lamb | as good as gold |
as hard as nails | as heavy as lead |
as helpless as a baby | as honest as the day is long |
as hot as blue blazes | as hungry as a bear |
as innocent as a lamb | as large as life |
as light as a feather | as long as a month of Sundays |
as loose as a goose | as mad as a hatter |
as mad as a hornet | as old as the hills |
as pale as death | as plain as the nose on your face |
as playful as a kitten | as pleased as punch |
as proud as a peacock | as quick as lightning |
as quiet as a church mouse | as regular as clockwork |
as scarce as hen's teeth | as sharp as a razor |
as sick as a dog | as silent as the grave |
as slippery as an eel | as slow as molasses |
as smooth as a baby's bottom | as snug as a bug in a rug |
as solid as the ground we stand on | as sour as vinegar |
as stiff as a board | as straight as an arrow |
as strong as an ox | as stubborn as a mule |
as sturdy as an oak | as sweet as pie |
as tall as a giraffe | as tough as old boots |
as useless as a chocolate teapot | as warm as toast |
as white as snow | as wise as an owl |
Simile Examples Using Like
Now that you've seen "as" in action, try out these similes that compare using the format "something like something else."
sing like an angel | act like an animal |
eat like a bird | fight like cats and dogs |
work like a dog | work like a dream |
soar like an eagle | sound like fingernails on a chalkboard |
swim like a fish | race like a scared bunny |
have eyes like a hawk | eat like a horse |
sleep like a log | gravitate like a moth to the flame |
eat like a pig | smell like a rose |
sound like a screaming baby | shine like the stars |
meander like a stream | explode like a volcano |
shine like diamonds | slept like a baby |
drools like a St. Bernard | sweet like sugar |
leaked like a sieve | strong like a raging bull |
soft like a lamb | flutter like a hummingbird |
snarl like a rabid dog | puff up like a pufferfish |
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Simile Sentence Examples
Did you have any favorites from the similes lists? Let's pull out a few and see how similes can make your writing more interesting and colorful.
- During the house fire, my dad was as brave as a lion.
- Sunday is cleaning day. By the time we're done, the house is as clean as a whistle.
- That teacher was as dull as dishwater.
- I think my grandfather is as old as these hills!
- This house of cards is as sturdy as an oak.
- My literature teacher was as wise as an owl.
- My best friend sings like an angel.
- After I received that "A" on my spelling test, I thought I might soar like an eagle.
- Gah! Her voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard!
- In our eighth grade pageant, we shone like stars.
- This path meanders like a stream.
- The sink leaked like a sieve.
- The boy snarled like a rabid dog.
- She fluttered like a hummingbird around the classroom.
- They puff up like a pufferfish when they get mad.
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Simile vs. Metaphor
Now that you've seen similes in action, you might be wondering how they are different from a metaphor. Lucky for you, there's a chart breaking down these two rhetorical devices.
Smile With Similes
Once you see a bunch of different examples of similes, it's easy to see how fun they are. If you are interested in other language techniques, you can find more information about figurative language. If that's not enough, give metaphor examples a try.