A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things that are not alike but have something in common. It implies that one thing is the other, or has the characteristics of the other. For example, “The sky is a blanket of stars” is a metaphor because the sky is not a blanket of stars but they both have something in common, which is that they are both vast and full of beauty.
A simile is also a figure of speech that compares two things that are not alike but have something in common. However, it does not imply one thing is the other. Instead, it uses the words “like” or “as” to make its comparison. For example, “The sky is like a blanket of stars” is a simile because the sky is not a blanket of stars, but they both have something in common which is that they are vast and full of beauty.