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Clichéd comparison

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An overused simile or metaphor lacking originality; in poetry, it can convey familiarity, work ironically, or signal a speaker's reliance on commonplaces, but often risks dulling the reader's engagement.

Explore this topic in depth (1)

Figurative Language in Poetry — Figurative language is not ornamental extra language: it is one of poetry’s ways of making connections and testing meanings. This guide introduces metaphor, simile, personification, apostrophe and related figures, with practical steps for reading how they develop across a poem.

Detailed Definition
A clichéd comparison is an overused simile or metaphor (e.g., “busy as a bee”) that has lost its original vividness and emotional impact due to excessive repetition; poets are generally advised to avoid such phrases in favor of fresh, inventive imagery.
Example
Example in poetry:
Simile “as brave as a lion” (common cliché); Metaphor “heart of gold” (overused); Personification “time waits for no one” (clichéd comparison); “Busy as a bee” (widely used simile)
Additional Notes
Clichéd comparison: An overly familiar or worn-out simile or metaphor (e.g., 'busy as a bee'); weakens the poem's impact; students should strive for fresh, original figures (worn-out trope, 7187).
Also Known As
Hackneyed comparison Overused metaphor Tired simile Stale figure Dead metaphor
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