Pick the Expression That Is a Metaphor With Clear Examples

Let me guess, you’ve seen questions like pick the expression that is a metaphor in exams, quizzes, or worksheets, and they suddenly make English feel harder than it should be.

You look at the options.
They all sound fine.
But only one is actually a metaphor.

Here’s the good news: once you understand how metaphors work, these questions stop being confusing and start feeling almost obvious. A metaphor isn’t about being fancyit’s about explaining one thing by comparing it to another in a way that makes meaning clearer and more vivid.

So let’s break it down together. I’ll show you 20 clear metaphors, explain what each one means, and give you examples you can instantly recognize. By the end, you won’t just pick the metaphor, you’ll understand why it’s the metaphor.

20 Metaphors You Can Easily Identify

1. Time is a thief.

Meaning: Time steals moments from our lives.
Explanation: Time is compared to a thief without using like or as.
Examples:

Time is a thief that steals our youth.
I didn’t realize time was a thief until the years disappeared.

2. The classroom was a zoo.

Meaning: The classroom was noisy and chaotic.
Explanation: A classroom is directly compared to a zoo.
Examples:

After lunch, the classroom was a zoo.
It felt like a zoo during the school assembly.

3. Her voice is music to my ears.

Meaning: Her voice is pleasant to hear.
Explanation: The voice is described as music.
Examples:

Her voice is music to my ears after a long day.
His calm voice was music to the worried crowd.

4. He has a heart of stone.

Meaning: He is emotionally cold.
Explanation: A heart is compared to a stone.
Examples:

He has a heart of stone when it comes to apologies.
The villain’s heart of stone showed no mercy.

5. The internet is a double-edged sword.

Meaning: The internet has both benefits and dangers.
Explanation: The Internet is compared to a weapon with two sides.
Examples:

Social media is a double-edged sword.
Technology can be a double-edged sword for students.

6. Life is a journey.

Meaning: Life has stages, progress, and direction.
Explanation: Life is compared to traveling.
Examples:

Life is a journey full of lessons.
He learned a lot during his life’s journey.

7. He is a shining star.

Meaning: He is very talented or successful.
Explanation: A person is compared to a star.
Examples:

She’s a shining star in the company.
The athlete became a shining star overnight.

8. The test was a nightmare.

Meaning: The test was extremely difficult.
Explanation: The test is compared to a bad dream.
Examples:

That math test was a nightmare.
Finals week felt like one long nightmare.

9. Books are windows to the world.

Meaning: Books help us learn about life and cultures.
Explanation: Books are compared to windows.
Examples:

For children, books are windows to the world.
Reading opens windows to the world.

10. His words were poison.

Meaning: His words caused harm.
Explanation: Words are compared to poison.
Examples:

His words were poison to the team’s morale.
The rumor spread like verbal poison.

11. She has a sharp mind.

Meaning: She is very intelligent.
Explanation: Intelligence is compared to sharpness.
Examples:

She has a sharp mind for business.
His sharp mind solved the problem quickly.

12. The city never sleeps.

Meaning: The city is always active.
Explanation: The city is given human qualities through metaphor.
Examples:

New York is a city that never sleeps.
The capital felt like it never sleeps.

13. Fear is a prison.

Meaning: Fear restricts freedom.
Explanation: Fear is compared to a prison.
Examples:

Fear is a prison that holds people back.
Don’t let fear become your prison.

14. Hope is a light in the dark.

Meaning: Hope gives guidance during difficult times.
Explanation: Hope is compared to light.
Examples:

Hope was a light in the dark days.
Her smile was a light in the darkness.

15. The news hit him like a bomb.

Meaning: The news was shocking.
Explanation: News is compared to an explosion.
Examples:

The announcement hit him like a bomb.
The truth dropped like a bombshell.

16. The mind is a sponge.

Meaning: The mind absorbs information easily.
Explanation: Learning is compared to soaking.
Examples:

A child’s mind is a sponge.
His mind absorbed facts like a sponge.

17. Anger is a fire.

Meaning: Anger can grow and become destructive.
Explanation: Anger is compared to fire.
Examples:

His anger was a fire inside him.
Don’t let anger turn into fire.

18. The classroom was a battlefield.

Meaning: The classroom was full of conflict.
Explanation: The classroom is compared to war.
Examples:

Group discussions turned the room into a battlefield.
Exam day felt like a battlefield.

19. She drowned in work.

Meaning: She had too much work.
Explanation: Work is compared to water.
Examples:

She drowned in deadlines.
He’s drowning in assignments.

20. The idea took root.

Meaning: The idea began to develop.
Explanation: Ideas are compared to plants.
Examples:

The idea took root in his mind.
Over time, the plan took root.

Conclusion

Understanding how to pick the expression that is a metaphor becomes easy once you know what to look for. A metaphor directly compares two unlike things to create a deeper meaning, without using like or as. When you focus on that comparison, the correct answer often stands out immediately.

With the examples and practice questions you’ve seen in this post, you now have a clear method to identify metaphors confidently, whether in exams, worksheets, or everyday reading. The more you practice spotting them, the more natural it becomes. Metaphors aren’t tricky once you know their secret; they’re simply creative shortcuts to meaning.