Expressions
Figurative language examples organized by type — metaphor, simile, idiom, aphorism, hyperbole, and malaphor. Browse them to understand how each works, then build your own.
try it ↓Examples by type
How each type works
Metaphor makes a direct claim: one thing IS another. "Her voice is a locked door." No hedging, no comparison marker — the claim is absolute and creates a sharper image.
Simile makes a comparison using like or as. More explicit than metaphor, and sometimes more delicate. "He moved like he was carrying something he couldn't put down."
Idioms are fixed phrases with cultural meaning ("burn bridges", "bury the hatchet"). They read as compressed emotion — the listener already knows the weight they carry.
Aphorisms are short statements of truth. "What we bury tends to grow." They can act as a thesis line for an entire song.
Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration. "I'd walk a thousand miles." It signals emotional intensity without being read literally.
Malaphors are accidentally mixed metaphors — two idioms blended. "We'll cross that bridge when we burn it." They're absurd but sometimes usefully strange.
Questions
Should I use these directly in a song?
They're models, not lyrics to copy. The point is to see how each type creates distance, intensity, or compression — then you make your own version from your own experience.
What's the difference between metaphor and simile?
Metaphor says something IS something else. Simile says it's LIKE something else. Metaphors are usually bolder. Similes allow more qualification. Neither is better — they create different distances between singer and subject.
What's a malaphor?
A malaphor is a mixed metaphor — two idioms accidentally fused. 'We'll cross that bridge when we burn it.' They're usually mistakes, but occasionally they're usefully strange and become the interesting line.
