169 Metaphor Examples With Meanings: What Is a Metaphor?

Metaphors provide us with a different way of describing and understanding concepts and ideas by comparing them to something else. They are used in literature, poetry, and everyday speech, and help to make the English language more fun and engaging. In this article, we explore what a metaphor is and provide you with 169 metaphor examples with meanings to help you better understand them.

Read on and it won’t be too long before you know the ropes when it comes to metaphors!

What is a Metaphor?

A metaphor describes an object, idea, or action, by comparing it to something else. This is usually in a way that isn’t literally true but helps to explain something or make a connection between two things. For example, “life is a journey” is a metaphor that compares the experience of life to a journey, with different destinations, adventures, and challenges to navigate along the way.

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines a metaphor as; “A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them (as in drowning in money).”

However you use them, the great thing about metaphors is that they can help you convey complex ideas in a memorable and relatable way. So, if you don’t want to be a fish out of water with the English language it’s worth learning the meanings of some metaphors.

Here are 169 well-known examples of metaphors to help you do just that.

169 Metaphor Examples With Meanings

1. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush: It’s better to keep what you have than to risk losing it by trying to get something else that you think is better.
2. A chip on your shoulder: Holding a grudge or being angry about something in the past.
3. A dime a dozen: Something that is common or easy to come by.
4. A fish out of water: Feeling uncomfortable in a new or unfamiliar situation.
5. A heart of gold: Having a kind and generous personality.
6. A leopard can’t change its spots: People can’t change who they are fundamentally.
7. A lightbulb moment: A sudden realization or idea, or understanding of something.
8. A needle in a haystack: Something that is very difficult to find among many other things.
9. A penny for your thoughts: Asking someone what they’re thinking.
10. A picture is worth a thousand words: A picture can convey more meaning than words.
11. A snake in the grass: Someone who is untrustworthy and deceptive.
12. A square peg in a round hole: Someone or something that doesn’t fit in with the rest.
13. A wolf in sheep’s clothing: Someone who appears harmless but is actually dangerous.
14. Actions speak louder than words: What someone does is more important than what they say.
15. All bark and no bite: Threatening but not actually following through with action.
16. All that glitters is not gold: Something may look attractive or valuable, but it may not be so in reality.
17. All thumbs: Being clumsy or awkward.
18. An arm and a leg: Something that is very expensive.
19. As busy as a bee: Working hard and being productive.
20. As cool as a cucumber: Being calm and composed in a stressful situation.
21. As easy as pie: Something that is very simple or easy to do.
22. As fit as a fiddle: Being in good health.
23. As mad as a hatter: Being crazy or eccentric.
24. As red as a beet: Blushing or embarrassed.
25. Back to square one: Starting over from the beginning.
26. Back to the drawing board: Starting over from scratch.
27. Barking up the wrong tree: Accusing the wrong person or pursuing the wrong course of action.
28. Beat a dead horse: Continuing to pursue something that is no longer possible or productive.
29. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder: Perceptions of beauty are subjective.
30. Between a rock and a hard place: Being in a difficult or unpleasant situation with no good options.
31. Bite off more than you can chew: Taking on more than you can handle.
32. Break a leg: A wish of good luck before a performance.
33. Burning the candle at both ends: Overworking oneself or not getting enough rest.
34. Burn the midnight oil: Working late into the night.
35. By the book: Following the rules or procedures exactly.
36. By the seat of your pants: Making decisions based on intuition or guesswork.
37. By the skin of your teeth: Just barely succeeding.
38. Caught between two stools: Being unable to decide between two things.
39. Chew the fat: Engage in a casual conversation.
40. Clam up: Refusing to talk or share information.
41. Close but no cigar: Almost succeeding but falling short.
42. Cold shoulder: Ignoring or being unfriendly to someone.
43. Come rain or shine: No matter what happens.
44. Cost an arm and a leg: Something that is very expensive.
45. Cross that bridge when you come to it: Dealing with a problem only when it arises.
46. Cry over spilled milk: Being upset over something that can’t be changed.
47. Curiosity killed the cat: Being too curious can lead to trouble.
48. Cut corners: Doing something in a way that saves time or money but isn’t entirely ethical.
49. Cut the mustard: Meeting expectations or succeeding at something.
50. Dead as a doornail: Something that is completely lifeless or useless.
51. Devil’s advocate: Arguing against someone’s position for the sake of debate.
52. Diamond in the rough: A person or thing that has potential but needs work or polishing.
53. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch: Don’t assume something will happen before it actually does.
54. Don’t cry over spilled milk: Don’t be upset over something that can’t be changed.
55. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket: Don’t risk everything on one thing.
56. Down in the dumps: Feeling sad or depressed.
57. Draw a blank: Being unable to think of anything or remember something.
58. Driving someone up the wall: Annoying or irritating someone to the point of frustration.
59. Drop in the bucket: Something that is insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
60. Drowning in money: Having an excessive amount of wealth or money.
61. Every cloud has a silver lining: Every bad situation has some good aspect to it.
62. Face the music: Accepting responsibility for something, usually negative.
63. Fall head over heels: Falling deeply in love.
64. Fighting tooth and nail: Fighting with great determination and effort.
65. Fish or cut bait: Make a decision and take action or stop wasting time.
66. Flash in the pan: Something that is initially successful but quickly fades away.
67. Flogging a dead horse: Continuing to pursue something that is no longer possible or productive.
68. Fly off the handle: Becoming angry suddenly and uncontrollably.
69. Foot in the door: Gaining a small initial opportunity that can lead to greater success.
70. Get a leg up: Obtaining an advantage over someone or something.
71. Get a second wind: Re-gaining energy or enthusiasm after feeling tired or discouraged.
72. Get off on the wrong foot: Starting off on a bad or unpleasant note.
73. Get the ball rolling: Starting or initiating something.
74. Get your feet wet: Trying something new or unfamiliar.
75. Give the benefit of the doubt: Believing someone’s story or excuse without proof.
76. Go against the grain: Doing something that is contrary to popular opinion or tradition.
77. Go out on a limb: Taking a risk or making a bold statement.
78. Good as gold: Being well-behaved or trustworthy.
79. Hammer it out: Negotiating or working through a problem until a solution is found.
80. Hard as nails: Being tough or unyielding.
81. Hard pill to swallow: Something that is difficult to accept or come to terms with.
82. Head over heels: Falling deeply in love.
83. Hit the nail on the head: Identifying something accurately or solving a problem perfectly.
84. In hot water: Being in trouble or facing consequences.
85. In the dark: Being unaware of something or uninformed.
86. In the same boat: Being in the same difficult situation as someone else.
87. Jack of all trades: Being skilled in many different areas.
88. Jump the gun: Starting something too early or without proper preparation.
89. Keep your chin up: Maintaining a positive attitude during tough times.
90. Kick the bucket: To die.
91. Kill two birds with one stone: Accomplishing two things at once.
92. Know the ropes: Being knowledgeable and experienced in a particular field.
93. Leave no stone unturned: Searching thoroughly and exhaustively.
94. Let the cat out of the bag: Revealing a secret.
95. Like a fish in water: Being comfortable and at ease in a particular situation.
96. Like a moth to a flame: Being irresistibly attracted to something that is harmful or dangerous.
97. Like riding a bike: Something that is easy to remember or do after having done it before.
98. Lost in the sauce: Being confused or disoriented.
99. Make a mountain out of a molehill: Overreacting to a minor issue.
100. Miss the boat: Missing an opportunity or chance.
101. Nip it in the bud: Stopping something before it becomes a bigger problem.
102. No pain, no gain: Progress or success requires hard work and sacrifice.
103. Off the hook: Avoiding responsibility or consequences.
104. On thin ice: In a precarious or risky situation.
105. Paint the town red: Going out and having a wild and exciting time.
106. Penny for your thoughts: Asking someone what they’re thinking or feeling.
107. Play devil’s advocate: Arguing against someone’s position for the sake of debate.
108. Pull someone’s leg: Teasing or joking with someone in a playful way.
109. Put all your cards on the table: Being honest and upfront about your intentions or motives.
110. Put your foot down: Taking a firm stance on something and not backing down.
111. Raining cats and dogs: Raining heavily.
112. Read the riot act: Scolding or reprimanding someone for bad behavior.
113. Red as a beet: Blushing or embarrassed.
114. Red herring: A misleading or irrelevant clue or piece of information.
115. Right as rain: Perfect or satisfactory.
116. Rise and shine: Wake up and start the day.
117. Rome wasn’t built in a day: Success or progress takes time and effort.
118. Rub someone the wrong way: Irritating or annoying someone.
119. Shoot for the stars: Setting ambitious goals.
120. Sick as a dog: Being very sick or ill.
121. Sitting duck: Being an easy target or vulnerable.
122. Smell a rat: Being suspicious or sensing that something isn’t right.
123. Smooth sailing: Having an easy and trouble-free experience.
124. Spill the beans: Revealing a secret or information.
125. Steal someone’s thunder: Taking credit for someone else’s idea or accomplishment.
126. Take the bull by the horns: Taking control of a situation.
127. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree: Children often resemble their parents.
128. The ball is in your court: It’s up to you to take action or make a decision.
129. The early bird catches the worm: Starting early or being proactive leads to success.
130. The elephant in the room: A topic or issue that is obvious but avoided or ignored.
131. The icing on the cake: Something that makes a good situation even better.
132. The last straw: The final problem or issue that leads to a breaking point.
133. The whole nine yards: Everything or all the details.
134. Throw in the towel: Giving up or quitting.
135. To have a heart of stone: Being cold and unfeeling.
136. To have green fingers: Being skilled at gardening or growing plants.
137. To have a sweet tooth: Having a strong liking for sweets or sugary foods.
138. To have a whale of a time: Having a great and enjoyable experience.
139. To hit the hay: Going to bed.
140. To keep your eyes peeled: Being alert and observant.
141. To make a long story short: Summarizing a story or situation briefly.
142. To make matters worse: Adding to a negative situation.
143. To meet someone halfway: Compromising and finding a middle ground.
144. To pay through the nose: Paying an exorbitant amount of money.
145. To play it by ear: Improvising and making decisions as you go.
146. To pull someone’s leg: Teasing or joking with someone.
147. To put someone on the spot: Putting someone in a difficult or uncomfortable situation.
148. To see the light: Understanding something that was previously unclear or confusing.
149. To shoot yourself in the foot: Sabotaging your own efforts or success.
150. To smell a rat: Suspecting that something is not right or true.
151. To stick to your guns: Holding firm to your beliefs or opinions.
152. To stir the pot: Creating trouble or conflict.
153. To take the cake: Being the best or worst example of something.
154. To take the wind out of someone’s sails: Deflating someone’s enthusiasm or confidence.
155. To throw caution to the wind: Taking a risk without considering the consequences.
156. To throw someone under the bus: Betraying someone for your own benefit.
157. To walk on eggshells: Being very careful and cautious to avoid offending someone.
158. To wear your heart on your sleeve: Being open and vulnerable about your emotions.
159. Under the weather: Feeling sick or unwell.
160. Up in the air: Uncertain or undecided.
161. Use your head: Think carefully and logically.
162. When pigs fly: Something that is unlikely to happen.
163. White as a sheet: Being pale or scared.
164. Wild goose chase: Pursuing something that is impossible or unlikely to succeed.
165. You can’t have your cake and eat it too: You can’t enjoy the benefits of two conflicting choices.
166. Your guess is as good as mine: Being uncertain or clueless about something.
167. Your hands are tied: Being unable to take action or make a decision due to circumstances.
168. Your heart skips a beat: Feeling excited, nervous, or scared.
169. You’re a ray of sunshine: Being cheerful and positive.

Metaphor Examples: The last word

That’s it for this list of metaphor examples. Do you have favorite metaphor? If you can think of any more examples of metaphors that you haven’t seen in this list feel free to share them with us!

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James Prior

The founder of DoTEFL, James is passionate about helping others fulfill their dreams through teaching and traveling abroad.

James has been helping people teach English abroad for over twelve years. He’s traveled to over 30 countries, lived in 3, and taught English in Chile and online.

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