Ask Difference

Analogy vs. Simile — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 5, 2023
Analogy compares two things to explain or clarify, often using "like" or "as," while Simile directly compares two distinct things using "like" or "as," implying only a similarity, not equivalence.
Analogy vs. Simile — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Analogy and Simile

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Key Differences

Analogy and Simile both serve as linguistic tools that draw comparisons, yet they perform differently within communication and literary analysis. An Analogy is employed to elucidate a concept or an idea by likening it to something else, which might be more familiar to the audience or reader. For example, describing the heart as a pump. This comparison aids in understanding by leveraging the familiar (a pump) to make sense of the less familiar (the heart's function).
Conversely, a Simile is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things, explicitly using the words “like” or “as.” It doesn’t aim to make an in-depth comparison or to assert that one thing functions like the other, but rather, it only implies a likeness in one or a few aspects. For instance, “She was as busy as a bee,” doesn’t suggest she functions like a bee, only that a similarity exists in the realm of busyness.
Where Analogies seek to clarify or explain a concept or idea by demonstrating how it is similar to another idea, Similes remain in the territory of emphasizing or illustrating a particular quality, such as appearance or action. An Analogy may say, "A family is like a team: each member has a role," extending the comparison to elucidate how one concept (family) might operate similarly to another (team). It is about conveying a concept through a parallel case.
In a Simile, the comparison is often more surface-level and pertains mainly to a singular quality or action. A statement like, “He eats like a pig,” doesn’t seek to explain or illuminate the man’s overall nature or other qualities by comparing it to all aspects of a pig; rather, it draws a specific, singular comparison - likely pointing toward a manner of eating that is greedy or messy. Similes spotlight a specific likeness, while Analogies delve into structural or functional similarities.

Comparison Chart

Purpose

To explain or clarify through comparison.
To illustrate or emphasize using comparison.
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Depth

May delve into deeper, structural similarities.
Generally points to a singular, surface likeness.

Usage

Utilizes "like" or "as" to draw comparisons.
Uses "like" or "as" to make direct comparisons.

Example

A heart is like a pump.
She was as busy as a bee.

Function

Serves to elucidate or explain a concept.
Functions to emphasize a particular quality.

Compare with Definitions

Analogy

A representation of something else.
The model served as an analogy for the real-life process.

Simile

A direct and explicit comparison to suggest a likeness.
The world is like a stage, where everyone plays their part.

Analogy

A comparison between two things to highlight some form of resemblance.
The structure of an atom is often given using the analogy of a solar system.

Simile

A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using "like" or "as".
Her smile was as bright as the sun.

Analogy

A relationship between two pairs of words or phrases.
Finger is to hand as toe is to ____?

Simile

A poetic device used to emphasize shared qualities using a comparative phrase.
His anger fizzled out like a wet firework.

Analogy

A similarity in some respects between things otherwise unlike.
Her teacher used the analogy of a water pump to explain the human heart's function.

Simile

An illustrative juxtaposition where attributes of one thing are used to enhance understanding of another.
He was as brave as a lion in battle.

Analogy

Analogy (from Greek ἀναλογία, analogia, "proportion", from ana- "upon, according to" [also "against", "anew"] + logos "ratio" [also "word, speech, reckoning"]) is a cognitive process of transferring information or meaning from a particular subject (the analog, or source) to another (the target), or a linguistic expression corresponding to such a process. In a narrower sense, analogy is an inference or an argument from one particular to another particular, as opposed to deduction, induction, and abduction, in which at least one of the premises, or the conclusion, is general rather than particular in nature.

Simile

A literary technique to describe something by comparing it with something else.
The night sky was as clear and sparkling as a diamond.

Analogy

A comparison between one thing and another, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification
He interprets logical functions by analogy with machines
An analogy between the workings of nature and those of human societies

Simile

A simile () is a figure of speech that directly compares two things. Similes differ from other metaphors by highlighting the similarities between two things using comparison words such as "like", "as", "so", or " than", while other metaphors create an implicit comparison (i.e.

Analogy

A similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar
Sees an analogy between viral infection and the spread of ideas.

Simile

A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by like or as, as in "How like the winter hath my absence been" or "So are you to my thoughts as food to life" (Shakespeare).

Analogy

A comparison based on such similarity
Made an analogy between love and a fever.

Simile

A figure of speech in which one thing is explicitly compared to another, using e.g. like or as.
Figure of speech

Analogy

(Biology) Correspondence in function or position between organs of dissimilar evolutionary origin or structure.

Simile

A word or phrase by which anything is likened, in one or more of its aspects, to something else; a similitude; a poetical or imaginative comparison.
A good swift simile, but something currish.

Analogy

A form of reasoning based on the assumption that if two things are known to be alike in some respects, then they are probably alike in other respects.

Simile

A figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with `like' or `as')

Analogy

(Linguistics) The process by which words or morphemes are re-formed or created on the model of existing grammatical patterns in a language, often leading to greater regularity in paradigms, as evidenced by helped replacing holp and holpen as the past tense and past participle of help on the model of verbs such as yelp, yelped, yelped.

Analogy

A relationship of resemblance or equivalence between two situations, people, or objects, especially when used as a basis for explanation or extrapolation.

Analogy

(geometry) The proportion or the equality of ratios.

Analogy

(grammar) The correspondence of a word or phrase with the genius of a language, as learned from the manner in which its words and phrases are ordinarily formed; similarity of derivative or inflectional processes.

Analogy

A resemblance of relations; an agreement or likeness between things in some circumstances or effects, when the things are otherwise entirely different. Thus, learning enlightens the mind, because it is to the mind what light is to the eye, enabling it to discover things before hidden.

Analogy

A relation or correspondence in function, between organs or parts which are decidedly different.

Analogy

Proportion; equality of ratios.

Analogy

Conformity of words to the genius, structure, or general rules of a language; similarity of origin, inflection, or principle of pronunciation, and the like, as opposed to anomaly.

Analogy

An inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in others

Analogy

Drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity in some respect;
The operation of a computer presents and interesting analogy to the working of the brain
The models show by analogy how matter is built up

Analogy

The religious belief that between creature and creator no similarity can be found so great but that the dissimilarity is always greater; language can point in the right direction but any analogy between God and humans will always be inadequate

Analogy

A form of reasoning in which one thing is inferred to be similar to another in a certain aspect.
By analogy, we assumed that if it worked for the older model, it would work for the new one.

Common Curiosities

Can "Retainment" be used in a corporate context?

It's less common but can be used to describe the act of holding or keeping employees, customers, etc.

What does "Retention" mean in a business context?

Retention in business refers to the ability of a company to retain its employees or customers over time.

What is "Retainment" commonly used to describe?

Retainment is often used informally to describe the act of keeping something.

Is "Retention" associated with memory?

Yes, retention can refer to the ability to recall or remember information.

Is "Retainment" a widely accepted term?

Retainment is often considered less formal and is not as widely used as "retention."

Can "Retention" relate to holding liquid?

Yes, retention can refer to the ability of a material to hold a liquid without leaking.

Are "Retainment" and "Retention" interchangeable?

Not always, as "retention" is broadly accepted and used in various contexts, while "retainment" is not.

Is "Retainment" used in legal terminology?

It is not common and is typically replaced by more formal or traditional terms.

Can "Retention" refer to holding back students in school?

Yes, retention can refer to the practice of having a student repeat a grade level.

Can "Retainment" be used in medical contexts?

It is less common and “retention” (e.g., urinary retention) is often used instead.

Is "Retainment" used in educational contexts?

Rarely, as "retention" is typically the preferred term.

Can "Retention" refer to a holding place?

Yes, it can refer to a place where something is kept or retained.

What is "data retention"?

Data retention refers to the policies governing data storage duration and management.

Can "Retainment" refer to maintaining attention?

It’s atypical, as “retaining attention” is more commonly used.

What is a "retention basin"?

A retention basin is an area where water is stored or managed to prevent flooding.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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