40 Common Similes with AS and LIKE in English

Hello, English learners! Welcome back to another vocabulary lesson. Today, we are looking at 40 similes with as and like.

Similes are colourful expressions that make English more vivid, natural and expressive. Native speakers use them all the time in conversation, storytelling, books, films and everyday descriptions.

For example, instead of simply saying:

He is very busy.

You can say:

He is as busy as a bee.

Instead of saying:

She sings beautifully.

You can say:

She sings like an angel.

Much better, isn’t it? English suddenly puts on a nice jacket and becomes more memorable.

In this lesson, you will learn 40 similes with as and like, their meanings, and natural example sentences.

What is a Simile?

A simile is an expression that compares one thing to another using as or like.

We use similes to make descriptions stronger, clearer or more interesting.

For example:

Sarah is as brave as a lion.

This means Sarah is very brave.

He eats like a bird.

This means he eats very little.

These 40 similes with as and like are especially useful for English learners because they help you sound more natural and expressive.

Similes with AS

Many common English similes follow this structure:

as + adjective + as + noun

For example:

• as cold as ice
• as light as a feather
• as proud as a peacock
• as stubborn as a mule

Let’s look at some of the most useful ones.

1. As blind as a bat

Meaning: to have very poor eyesight.

• Without her glasses, Jill is as blind as a bat.

Note: This expression is informal and slightly humorous. Of course, bats are not completely blind, but the expression is very common in English.

2. As brave as a lion

Meaning: very brave.

• The little boy was as brave as a lion when he stood up for his friend.

3. As busy as a bee

Meaning: very busy and active.

• Mary has been as busy as a bee all morning, cleaning the house and preparing lunch.

4. As clean as a whistle

Meaning: extremely clean.

Mike washed the car carefully, and now it is as clean as a whistle. This simile can also mean that someone has done nothing wrong.

• The police checked his record, and it was as clean as a whistle.

5. As cold as ice

Meaning: extremely cold.

• Tom’s hands were as cold as ice after walking home in the snow.

It can also describe a person who seems unemotional or unfriendly.

Example:

• Her voice was as cold as ice when she answered him.

6. As dead as a doornail

Meaning: completely dead; not working at all.

• My phone battery is as dead as a doornail.

This expression is often used for machines, batteries and devices, not only people or animals.

7. As different as night and day

Meaning: completely different.

• Darren and his brother are as different as night and day. Darren is quiet, but his brother never stops talking.

8. As quick as lightning

Meaning: extremely fast.

• The cat ran across the garden as quick as lightning.

You can also say:

He moved like lightning.

9. As fresh as a daisy

Meaning: healthy, energetic and not tired.

• After eight hours of sleep, Emma woke up as fresh as a daisy.

10. As gentle as a lamb

Meaning: very kind, calm and gentle.

• My dentist looks serious, but he is as gentle as a lamb.

11. As happy as a clam

Meaning: very happy and satisfied.

• Rob was as happy as a clam when he heard the good news.

British English note: In British English, you may also hear as happy as Larry, which means the same thing.

• She passed her driving test and was as happy as Larry.

12. As hot as hell

Meaning: extremely hot.

• It was as hot as hell outside, so we decided to stay indoors.

Note: This expression is informal and quite strong. In more polite English, you can say:

• It was boiling hot.
• It was extremely hot.

13. As light as a feather

Meaning: extremely light.

• The parcel looked big, but it was as light as a feather.

14. As old as the hills

Meaning: very old.

• I’ve heard that joke before. It’s as old as the hills.

This expression is often used for stories, jokes, ideas and traditions.

15. As proud as a peacock

Meaning: extremely proud.

• The boy was as proud as a peacock when he showed his certificate to his parents.

16. As smooth as silk

Meaning: very smooth, soft or easy.

• After the treatment, Jill’s skin was as smooth as silk.

You can also use it for situations.

• The interview went as smooth as silk.

17. As stubborn as a mule

Meaning: extremely stubborn; unwilling to change your mind.

• You’ll never persuade him to apologise. He’s as stubborn as a mule.

18. As hard as nails / as tough as nails

Meaning: very strong, determined and not easily upset.

• The coach may seem strict, but she is as tough as nails.

This expression can be positive or negative, depending on the context.

Positive:

• She survived many difficulties. She’s as tough as nails.

Negative:

• He never shows sympathy. He’s as hard as nails.

19. As wise as an owl

Meaning: very wise or intelligent.

• You need to be as wise as an owl to solve that problem.

20. As white as a sheet

Meaning: very pale, usually because of fear, shock or illness.

• Maria looked as white as a sheet when she heard the bad news.

Similes with LIKE

Many similes with like follow this structure:

verb + like + noun

For example:

• cry like a baby
• drink like a fish
• sleep like a log
• sing like an angel

These similes often describe actions, habits or behaviour.

21. Cry like a baby

Meaning: to cry a lot.

• I always cry like a baby at the end of sad films.

Note: Be careful. This expression can sound critical if you use it about another person.

22. Cut like a knife

Meaning: to hurt deeply, especially emotionally.

• Her cruel words cut like a knife.

This is often used to describe words, comments, silence or memories.

23. Life is like a box of chocolates

Meaning: life is full of surprises.

• Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.

This expression became famous because of the film Forrest Gump.

24. Drink like a fish

Meaning: to drink a lot of alcohol.

• My neighbour used to drink like a fish when he was younger.

Note: This expression is informal and often negative.

25. Eat like a bird

Meaning: to eat very little.

• You eat like a bird. Are you feeling all right?

26. Eat like a pig

Meaning: to eat a lot, often noisily or with bad manners.

• Don’t eat like a pig. Use your knife and fork properly.

Be careful with this one. It can sound rude.

27. Fight like cats and dogs

Meaning: to argue angrily and often.

• Before they separated, they used to fight like cats and dogs.

28. Fit like a glove

Meaning: to fit perfectly.

• This jacket fits like a glove.

You can use this expression for clothes, shoes, plans or even jobs.

• The new role fits her like a glove.

29. Go through something like a hot knife through butter

Meaning: to do something very easily and quickly.

• The team went through the first round like a hot knife through butter.

You can also say:

• The knife cut through the cake like a hot knife through butter.

30. Get on like a house on fire

Meaning: to become friends quickly and like each other a lot.

• Mark and Gregory got on like a house on fire when they first met.

British English note: This is especially common in British English.

31. Have a memory like a sieve

Meaning: to forget things easily.

• Hugh has a memory like a sieve, so he writes everything down.

A sieve has holes in it, so this simile suggests that information falls out of your memory easily.

32. Know something like the back of your hand

Meaning: to know something extremely well.

• I know this town like the back of my hand.

You can use this for places, systems, subjects or routines.

• She knows the Cambridge exam format like the back of her hand.

33. Look like a million dollars

Meaning: to look extremely attractive or elegant.

• You look like a million dollars in that dress.

British English alternative: You may also hear look a million dollars.

34. Move like a snail

Meaning: to move very slowly.

• The traffic was terrible. We were moving like a snail.

More common natural version:

• We were moving at a snail’s pace.

35. Like a rabbit caught in the headlights

Meaning: too frightened or shocked to move or react.

• When the teacher asked him a question, he stood there like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

British English note: In American English, people often say like a deer in the headlights.

36. Sing like an angel

Meaning: to sing beautifully.

• Their daughter sings like an angel.

37. Sleep like a log

Meaning: to sleep very deeply.

• I was exhausted, so I slept like a log.

You can also say:

• sleep like a baby

However, sleep like a log is usually safer because babies do not always sleep well — as every tired parent knows!

38. Smoke like a chimney

Meaning: to smoke a lot.

• My grandfather used to smoke like a chimney, but he gave up years ago.

39. Run like lightning

Meaning: to run extremely fast.

• The boy ran like lightning when he saw the bus coming.

You can also say:

• as quick as lightning

40. Stick out like a sore thumb

Meaning: to be very noticeable because you are different from everything around you.

• Martin stuck out like a sore thumb at the formal dinner because he was wearing trainers.

This expression is often used when something or someone does not match the situation.

Common Mistakes with 40 Similes with As and Like

1. Don’t change the fixed expression too much

Many similes are fixed phrases. For example, we usually say:

• as busy as a bee

Not:

• as busy as an ant
• as busy like a bee

2. Use AS with adjectives

Correct:

• She is as brave as a lion.

Incorrect:

• She is like brave as a lion.

3. Use LIKE with verbs and actions

Correct:

• He sleeps like a log.

Incorrect:

• He sleeps as a log.

4. Be careful with rude or informal similes

Some similes can sound impolite, especially when describing people.

For example:

• eat like a pig
• cry like a baby
• drink like a fish

Use them carefully.

40 Similes with As and Like: Quick Practice

Complete the sentences with the correct simile.

1. I know this city __________. I’ve lived here for thirty years.
2. She looked __________ when she heard the shocking news.
3. My new coat __________. It’s exactly the right size.
4. He never changes his opinion. He’s __________.
5. After the long flight, I slept __________.
6. The two sisters are completely different. They’re __________.
7. You’ve been working all day. You’re __________.
8. His words hurt me deeply. They __________.
9. The room was freezing. It was __________.
10. She has a beautiful voice. She __________.

Answer Key:

1. like the back of my hand
2. as white as a sheet
3. fits like a glove
4. as stubborn as a mule
5. like a log
6. as different as night and day
7. as busy as a bee
8. cut like a knife
9. as cold as ice
10. sings like an angel

Final Thoughts on 40 Similes with As and Like

Similes are a wonderful way to make your English richer, more colourful and more natural. They help you describe people, feelings, situations and actions in a memorable way.

You do not need to learn hundreds of them at once. Start with the most common ones, practise them in sentences, and try to notice them when you read books, watch films or listen to native speakers.

The more you use them, the more natural they will become. Before long, you’ll be using these 40 similes with as and like as naturally as breathing — well, almost!

Related posts:

20 Phrases with LIKE 

20 Animal Idioms in English 

100 Everyday English Idioms 

Visit our bookshop for more