metaphor

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.

The unpleasant market metaphor refers to the idea that even a lifeless feline when dropped from a height may initially ricochet off the ground.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

Instead, it’s inspired by the famous fig tree metaphor from Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar,” where each plump and juicy fig, dangling deliciously on the branches, represents a different life path for the protagonist.

From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026

Mundillo, the Puerto Rican craft of weaving intricately patterned lace, becomes for her a metaphor for networks of interconnectivity, be it, she writes in her program note, climate justice or social dreaming.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

They hover with a calculated theatricality: “Hat Rack” drops like a predatory spider; the shovels’ metal scoops are poised like guillotine blades; and “Bottle Rack” dives like a missile—an apt metaphor for their impact.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

In the union hall the word ‘brother’ became a vague metaphor; with repetition a weak echo of the intimate sound.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez