Dead Metaphors: What They Are and How to Avoid Them

You know that feeling when you’re reading something and your eyes just glaze over? Like you’re seeing the words, but they’re not really making an impact? Chances are, you’ve stumbled into a forest of dead metaphors. As a writing teacher for the past fifteen years, I’ve seen countless students and even seasoned writers fall into this trap. In fact, researchers at Cambridge University found that we use up to six dead metaphors per minute in casual conversation – that’s pretty mind-blowing when you think about it!

Let me tell you about the time I was grading papers late one night, and it hit me: nearly every other sentence contained phrases like “it goes without saying” or “at the end of the day.” These expressions had become so commonplace that they’d lost all their punch. That’s when I decided to dive deep into the world of these linguistic fossils and figure out how to help my students (and myself!) break free from their grasp.

What Is a Dead Metaphor?

Picture this: you’re “surfing the web” right now. But when’s the last time you actually thought about riding waves on the internet? That’s exactly what a dead metaphor is – a once-vivid comparison that’s been used so much it’s lost its metaphorical mojo.

Think of metaphors like glow sticks. When you first crack them, they’re bright and attention-grabbing. But use them too much, and that glow fades until they’re just another piece of plastic. That’s what happens to metaphors over time. They start out fresh and exciting, but through constant use, they become so integrated into our everyday language that we forget they were ever metaphors in the first place.

I remember teaching this concept to a group of seniors last year, and one student raised her hand and said, “So it’s like when my mom says she’s ‘going crazy’ with work, but nobody pictures her actually losing her mind?” Exactly! The metaphorical meaning has become literal through overuse.

The Impact of Dead Metaphors on Writing

Let me share something embarrassing: my first novel (which thankfully never saw the light of day) was absolutely riddled with dead metaphors. Every character’s heart was either “racing” or “sinking,” everyone was either “burning with rage” or “frozen with fear.” Reading it back now makes me cringe, but it taught me a valuable lesson about the power of fresh language.

Dead metaphors are like linguistic fast food – they’re convenient and everywhere, but they don’t provide much nutritional value to your writing. When you use them, you’re essentially serving your readers pre-packaged thoughts instead of fresh, home-cooked ideas.

Here’s what happens in your reader’s brain when they encounter a dead metaphor:

• Their eyes skip right over it because it’s so familiar
• They don’t form any new mental images or connections
• The emotional impact is basically zero
• Their engagement with your writing drops

But here’s the thing: sometimes dead metaphors are actually okay to use. In casual conversation or when clarity is more important than creativity, they can serve a purpose. The key is knowing when to use them and when to push yourself to create something fresh.

15 Common Dead Metaphors to Watch For

After years of red-penning papers and workshopping with writers, I’ve compiled what I call my “Dead Metaphor Hall of Fame.” These are the repeat offenders that show up time and time again:

1. Time-Related Metaphors:

• Time flies
• Running out of time
• Time is money
• Killing time
• Racing against the clock

2. Physical Action Metaphors:

• Grasp the concept
• Tackle the problem
• Jump to conclusions
• Handle the situation
• Get a grip

3. Nature-Based Metaphors:

• Branch out
• Take root
• Weather the storm
• Plant the seed
• Go with the flow

The funny thing is, I caught myself using three of these while writing this very section! It just shows how deeply embedded these expressions are in our language.

How to Identify Dead Metaphors in Your Writing

One of the best techniques I’ve discovered for spotting dead metaphors comes from a rather embarrassing moment in my teaching career. I was giving a lecture about vivid writing while unconsciously using every dead metaphor in the book. A student started keeping count, and by the end of the class, we had a tally of over 30 dead metaphors in just 45 minutes!

Here’s my tried-and-true process for catching these sneaky linguistic zombies:

1. Read your writing out loud. Dead metaphors often sound clichéd when spoken.
2. Highlight every figurative expression you find.
3. For each highlighted phrase, try to picture it literally.
4. If you can’t easily visualize it, or if the visualization feels stale, you’ve probably got a dead metaphor.

I’ve created a simple worksheet for my students (which I now use myself) where we list common expressions we use and brainstorm fresh alternatives. It’s amazing how this simple practice can transform your writing awareness.

Strategies for Replacing Dead Metaphors

Here’s where the fun begins! After bombing spectacularly at a writers’ workshop (where my piece was criticized for being “a graveyard of tired metaphors”), I developed what I call the “Fresh Take Technique.”

Start by asking yourself these questions:

1. What am I really trying to say?
2. What unique experiences can I draw from?
3. What unexpected connections can I make?

For example, instead of saying “time flies,” I had a student who wrote, “The semester scattered like a deck of cards in the wind.” Instead of “burning with rage,” another wrote, “His anger fizzing like a shaken soda can.”

Some practical exercises I use with my students:

• Take a common dead metaphor and reimagine it in your current setting
• Choose an emotion and describe it using objects from your immediate environment
• Pick a dead metaphor and update it for the digital age

When to Keep vs. Replace Dead Metaphors

Here’s a confession: sometimes I still use dead metaphors on purpose. gasp I know, right? But there’s a method to my madness. In certain situations, trying to be too creative with your metaphors can actually distract from your message.

Think of it this way: if you’re writing an emergency evacuation procedure, you probably want to “make it crystal clear” rather than saying “make it transparent as a jellyfish in spring water.” Sometimes, clarity trumps creativity.

Here’s my decision-making framework:

Keep the dead metaphor when:

• You need instant comprehension
• The focus is on conveying information quickly
• You’re writing technical or instructional content
• The audience expects conventional language

Replace it when:

• You want to engage emotions
• You’re writing creative or literary work
• You need to make a strong impression
• You want to stand out from similar content

Conclusion

After spending years in the trenches with dead metaphors (see what I did there?), I’ve learned that they’re not evil – they’re just overworked. The key isn’t to eliminate them entirely but to use them consciously and strategically.

Remember, great writing isn’t about following rules blindly – it’s about making intentional choices that serve your purpose and audience. Sometimes that means crafting a fresh, vivid metaphor that makes your readers see the world in a new way. Other times, it means sticking with a familiar expression that gets your point across efficiently.

Ready to breathe new life into your writing? Start by identifying one dead metaphor in your current work and challenging yourself to replace it with something fresh. Trust me, your readers will thank you for it!

Want to dive deeper into this topic? Drop a comment below sharing your favorite (or least favorite) dead metaphor, or join my weekly writing workshop where we tackle these linguistic challenges together. Let’s bring some fresh energy to our writing, one metaphor at a time!