List of AS...AS Similes

This is a list of well-known as...as similes. There are more similes, of course, some common and others less common because anyone can make a simile at any time--you too!

simile meaning comment
as alike as two peas in a pod identical or nearly so  
as bald as a coot completely bald  
as bent as a bercow very corrupt  
as big as a bus very big  
as big as an elephant very big  
as black as a sweep completely black sweep = chimney sweep
as black as coal completely black  
as black as pitch completely black  
as blind as a bat completely blind may be exaggeration
as blind as a mole completely blind may be exaggeration
as bold as brass very bold usually in a negative sense
as brave as a lion very brave  
as bright as a button very bright  
as bright as a new pin very bright and shiny  
as busy as a beaver very busy  
as busy as a bee very busy  
as busy as a cat on a hot tin roof very busy  
as calm as a millpond very calm and still usually said of water
as clear as a bell very clear of a sound
as clean as a whistle very clean  
as clear as crystal very clear  
as clear as mud not at all clear irony or sarcasm
as cold as ice very cold  
as common as dirt very common, rude, vulgar usually said of a person
as cool as a cucumber cool  
as cunning as a fox cunning  
as dead as a doornail dead  
as dead as the dodo dead, extinct the dodo is an extinct bird
as deaf as a post completely deaf may be exaggeration
as different as chalk from cheese very different  
as drunk as a lord completely drunk  
as dry as a bone very dry  
as dry as dust very dry  
as dull as dishwater dull, boring usually said of a person
as easy as A.B.C. very easy  
as easy as apple-pie very easy  
as flat as a pancake completely flat  
as free as a bird very free to go anywhere  
as fresh as a daisy very fresh  
as gentle as a lamb very gentle usually said of a person
as good as gold very good and obedient usually said of a person
as happy as a lark very happy usually said of a person
as hard as nails very tough in character of a person
as hot as hell very hot  
as hungry as a bear very hungry  
as hungry as a wolf very hungry  
as innocent as a lamb innocent, not worldly-wise usually said of a person
as large as life conspicuously present  
as light as a feather very light  
as light as air very light  
as mad as a hatter completely crazy  
as mad as a hornet very angry  
as nutty as a fruitcake completely crazy  
as obstinate as a mule very obstinate, stubborn  
as old as the hills very, very old  
as pale as death very pale or white in the face of a person
as plain as day very clear  
as poor as a church mouse poverty-stricken  
as poor as dirt poverty-stricken  
as proud as a peacock very proud  
as pure as snow pure and innocent  
as pure as the driven snow pure and innocent  
as quick as a wink very quick(ly)  
as quick as lightning very quick(ly)  
as quick as silver very quick  
as quiet as a church mouse very quiet  
as safe as houses very safe, secure  
as scarce as hen's teeth very, very scarce irony (hens have no teeth)
as sharp as a razor very sharp  
as sick as a dog very sick  
as sick as a parrot very sick  
as silent as the dead completely silent  
as silent as the grave completely silent  
as slippery as an eel slippery, evasive of a person
as slow as a snail very slow  
as slow as a tortoise very slow  
as smooth as silk very smooth  
as snug as a bug in a rug in a very comfortable position humorous
as sober as a judge sober  
as solid as a rock solid  
as solid as the ground we stand on solid  
as sound as a bell very clear of a sound
as sour as vinegar very sour  
as steady as a rock very steady  
as stiff as a board completely stiff  
as straight as an arrow straight an arrow flies straight
as strong as an ox very strong  
as stubborn as a mule very stubborn, obstinate  
as sturdy as an oak very strong and solid  
as sure as death and taxes absolutely certain to happen  
as tall as a giraffe very tall  
as thin as a rake very thin  
as timid as a rabbit very timid  
as tough as leather very tough  
as tough as nails very tough often said of a person
as tough as old boots very tough often said of a person
as welcome as a skunk at a lawn party not welcome at all irony or sarcasm (skunks stink)
as white as a ghost very pale or white in the face of a person
as white as a sheet pure white  
as white as snow pure white  
as wise as Solomon very wise King Solomon
as wise as an owl very wise  
Caution: Many similes are clichés (phrases that are overused and betray a lack of original thought). You should use well-know similes with care, but it is certainly useful to know them so that you can understand language that contains them.