Analogy Examples

Understanding the meaning of an analogy is key to the success of the

analogy in communication. Some analogies will be understood by most
people that speak the same language. Within small social groups of people,
there are often shared analogies that bind the group together. Other
analogies are only understood by people living in a certain region or country.

Common Analogies and Their Meanings

Analogy examples with corresponding meanings are the best way to show the meaning of the
word analogy. The following is a list of some common analogies and an explanation of their
meaning.

The relationship between them began to thaw. This means that the
relationship was changing.

You are as annoying as nails on a chalkboard. You must be pretty

annoying for someone to say that.

I am going to be toast when I get home. This is usually said when

someone is in trouble with their significant other.

He is like a rock. This means he is steadfast and strong.

She attended the celebrity roast. The person being roasted is being
honored by people making harmless jokes about him or her.

I feel like a fish out of water. This implies that you are not comfortable
in your surroundings.

She was offended when I said she was as flaky as a snowstorm. That
isnt a very nice comparison to make.

There are plenty of fish in the sea. Unless you really are a fish, this
encourages you to move on and find another potential mate.

She was as quiet as a mouse. It is hard to hear a mouse, so that means

she was very quiet.

Bing Crosby had a velvet voice. Since voices are not made of velvet,
this implies that his voice was smooth and soothing.

Life is like a box of chocolates. This has many meanings and is a great
analogy for life.
For examples that would be particularly fun and informative for children,
check out Analogy Examples for Kids.
Many famous people have also used analogies to explain their positions or
their opinions on an issue. For instance, consider the following analogy
examples:

"I am to dancing what Roseanne is to singing and Donald Duck to

motivational speeches. I am as graceful as a refrigerator falling down a
flight of stairs." - Leonard Pitts, "Curse of Rhythm Impairment" Miami
Herald, Sep. 28, 2009
"If you want my final opinion on the mystery of life and all that, I can
give it to you in a nutshell. The universe is like a safe to which there is a
combination. But the combination is locked up in the safe." Peter De
Vries, Let Me Count the Ways
"Writing a book of poetry is like dropping a rose petal down the Grand
Canyon and waiting for the echo." - Don Marquis
"They crowded very close about him, with their hands always on him in
a careful, caressing grip, as though all the while feeling him to make sure
he was there. It was like men handling a fish which is still alive and may
jump back into the water." - George Orwell, A Hanging
"Withdrawal of U.S. troops will become like salted peanuts to the
American public; the more U.S. troops come home, the more will be
demanded." - Henry Kissinger in a Memo to President Richard Nixon
... worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by
chewing bubble gum." - Baz Luhrmann,Everybodys Free (to Wear
Sunscreen)
"Dumb gorgeous people should not be allowed to use literature when
competing in the pick-up pool. It's like bald people wearing hats." - Matt
McGrath from the movie Broken Hearts Club

Similes and Metaphors

Some analogies are similes and some are metaphors. A simile is where two
unlike things are compared while a metaphor is where unlike things have
something in common.

Similies
A simile compares two things using the words as or like. An example of a
simile would be you are as stubborn as a mule which means to convey the
fact that you are being very stubborn. Another example would be He is as
blind as a bat meaning he doesnt see very well.
Similes are widely used by authors, songwriters, and poets. Following are
some sweet similes:

Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet

as
as
as
as
as
as

the last smile of sunset

the twilight notes of the thrush
the infant spring
a cat with syrup in its paws
morning dew upon a rose
summer's showers

Metaphors
Metaphors are an analogy where two unlike things are compared but have
something in common. It sounds like you are stating a fact, but you have to
think about it for it to make sense.
For example, if you say, you are the wind beneath my wings you are not
saying that a person can actually be wind. Instead, you are referring to the
support you get from that person.
Metaphors can be humorous while still getting the point across. Others use
strange comparisons but are still effective. Examples include:

Don't be such an airhead

Blueberry stains are stubborn
Lets cross that bridge when we come to it
Ill die of embarrassment
The new player is green
Set the wheels in motion
He is a diamond in the rough
Late breaking news
Bursting with flavor

Analogies as a Part of Language

When you learn a new language, you learn word meanings and sentence
structure. To really be fluent in a language takes a lot more than just knowing
the basics. Language is also full of analogies that can vary by region or by
groups of people.
Every language not only has dialects and idioms, but changes over time.
Words and phrases can begin to be used by the masses very quickly,
especially with television and the Internet.
To become fluent in a language takes more than knowing the meaning of
every word. You will need to practice with native speakers of the language to
also learn the everyday use of the language, such as the use of the analogy.