OpenSynonym

dead metaphors

/dɛd ˈmɛtəˌfɔrz/

NOUN

1. Conventionalized figurative expressions

Plural of dead metaphor: metaphors that have become so familiar through repeated use that their original figurative imagery is no longer consciously recognized.

1.1. Metaphors that have lost their original vividness

Figurative expressions that have become conventional parts of everyday language and are no longer perceived as imaginative comparisons.

Synonyms

  • conventional metaphors
  • fossilized metaphors
  • lexicalized metaphors
  • worn-out metaphors

Antonyms

  • living metaphors
  • fresh metaphors
  • novel metaphors

Examples

  • Linguists study how living metaphors gradually become dead metaphors through repeated use.
  • People frequently use dead metaphors without recognizing their original figurative meanings.
  • Writers sometimes revive dead metaphors by restoring their original imagery.

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