What is an Analogy? A TurtlEd Guide with Examples

When you’re trying to explain a new or complex idea, one of the most best tools you can use is an analogy. Analogies create a bridge between the unfamiliar and the familiar, helping people make sense of concepts by showing how they are similar to things they already know. What exactly is an analogy, and how does it different from other forms of figurative language? In this post, we'll define analogies, share examples, and show how they compare to metaphors.

What is an Analogy?

An analogy is a comparison between two different things that highlights their similarities in order to explain an idea or illustrate a point. Unlike simple comparisons, an analogy focuses on the relationship between ideas rather than their surface features.

For example:

“Just as a seed needs water and sunlight to grow, a mind needs learning and experience to develop.”

Here, the relationship between seed → growth and mind → development helps explain the concept of personal growth.

Analogy Examples

Analogies come in many forms. Here are a few examples:

1. Part-to-Whole Relationship: Finger is to hand as leaf is to tree.
2. Cause-and-Effect Relationship: Heat is to ice as pressure is to coal.
3. Function Relationship: Pen is to writer as brush is to painter.

Analogy vs. Metaphor

It’s easy to confuse analogies with metaphors, but they serve slightly different purposes:

• Metaphor: A metaphor makes a direct comparison by saying one thing is another. For example: “Time is a thief.” Here, time isn’t literally a thief, but the metaphor suggests it steals moments from us.
• Analogy: An analogy is broader and often explains the relationship between two things in more detail. For example: "Time is like a thief in the night, it sneaks up on you and steals away opportunities before you notice.”

Why Are Analogies Useful?

• Education: Teachers can use analogies to break down abstract or complicated concepts. For example, a science teacher explains electricity using the analogy of water flowing through pipes. The wires are like pipes, the electric current is like the flow of water, and the voltage is like the water pressure. This analogy helps students picture an abstract, invisible concept in terms of something familiar.
• Business and Communication: Leaders can use analogies to make strategies relatable. For instance, when a business executive is sharing the importance of a new company strategy, he might say: "Think of our strategy like a relay race. Each team passes the baton smoothly so we can reach the finish line faster. Marketing gets us off the blocks, sales carries the momentum, and customer support brings us across the line. In the end, we all win."
• Problem-Solving: Analogies often sparks creative solutions by connecting ideas across fields. For example, In the 1940s, Swiss engineer George de Mestral went on a walk in the woods and noticed how burrs from plants clung to his dog’s fur and his own clothing. Curious, he examined them under a microscope and saw their tiny hook-like structures. By drawing an analogy between the natural mechanism of burrs attaching to fur and the possibility of designing a fastening system, he invented Velcro (Suddath, 2010).

Analogies can make your communication clearer and more engaging. They help connect ideas, explain unfamiliar concepts, and bring language to life. If you find yourself struggling with writing or reading, TurtlEd is here to help. We offer high-impact tutoring for students in grades K–12. Contact us today to learn more about our strategies and programs!

Sources:

Suddath, Claire (2010). A Brief History of: Velcro. Retrieved from: https://time.com/archive/6916217/a-brief-history-of-velcro/