# Metaphor : metaphorically :: simile : ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metaphor-metaphorically-simile/757584>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 17, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metaphor-metaphorically-simile/757584 "2016-06-17T04:01:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metaphor-metaphorically-simile/757584/1 "2016-06-17T04:01:06Z")

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If you are speaking in metaphors, you are said to be speaking metaphorically. But if you are speaking in similes, how are you said to be speaking? Similarly?

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**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2016, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/metaphor-metaphorically-simile/757584/2 "2016-06-17T05:51:55Z")

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I don’t think there’s a specific adverb. _Figuratively_ covers it as a more generic term. I think you’re stuck with _in similes_ if that’s the specific meaning that you want to convey.

ETA: I don’t think you can use _comparatively_. Although in principle it seems like the word might be able to mean “using comparisons”, in practice it’s not used that way, and people might just think you left a word off the end of your sentence:

He was speaking comparatively… quickly?