Here are some native-speaker expressions and similes for describing people.
A simile (pronounced “sim-i-lee”) is a type of comparison. You can make this comparision by saying “as + adjective + as + noun”.
There are many similes in English, but these ones are used particularly to describe people. You’ll hear them a lot in spoken English, and it’s also worth learning a couple of them to impress people in conversation!
English Similes
as light as a feather = to not weigh very much
“She’s lost so much weight. She’s as light as a feather.”
as hard as nails = to be emotionally strong
“She never cries when she watches sad films. She’s as hard as nails.”
as tough as old boots = to be very strong
“I never worry about my grandfather’s health. He’s as tough as old boots.”
as bold as brass = to be unafraid of the reaction you’ll get if you do something
“So John went up to his boss, as bold as brass, and asked for a pay raise.”
as cold as ice = to be very cold
“I’ve been out walking in the snow. My feet are as cold as ice!”
as dull as ditchwater = to be very boring
“I had to attend a company dinner. The conversation was as dull as ditchwater.”
as good as gold = to be very well-behaved
“It’s always a pleasure to babysit her children. They’re as good as gold.”
as daft as a brush = to be silly or forgetful
“I’m getting as daft as a brush. I managed to lose my glasses twice today.”
as cool as a cucumber = to not show any emotion
“He told me he was nervous in the meeting, but he looked as cool as a cucumber!”
as high as a kite = to be high (on excitement or drugs)
“The kids came back from the festival as high as a kite.”
as sharp as a tack = very quick to understand
“Her son is as sharp as a tack. They’ve moved him up a class at school.”
as regular as clockwork = to be very regular in your habits
“There’s John again, walking his dog. He’s as regular as clockwork.”
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