We all have memories from the past. Some are happy, like birthday parties or family trips. Others may be a little sad, like saying goodbye to a friend. Talking about the past helps us remember how we felt and what we learned. One fun way to talk about the past is by using similes. A simile is a sentence that compares two things using the words “like” or “as.”
Writers and speakers often use similes to make stories more interesting. When they describe the past, they might say something was “like a faded photo” or “as quiet as an empty room.” These similes help us picture what happened and feel what the person felt. In this article, we’ll explore similes about the past and see how they add color to the way we tell stories.
Similes about The Past
1. As distant as a memory
Meaning: Something that feels far away or hard to remember.
Give an Instance: The good old days felt as distant as a memory. / That summer vacation feels as distant as a memory now.
Substitute Meaning: Far gone / Hard to recall
2. As old as time itself
Meaning: Extremely ancient, as though it has existed forever.
Give an Instance: The story of the town’s founding is as old as time itself. / That tradition is as old as time itself, passed down for generations.
Substitute Meaning: Very ancient / Unchanged for ages
3. As faded as a photograph
Meaning: Something that has lost clarity or importance over time.
Give an Instance: The details of that event are as faded as a photograph left in the sun. / His memory of the trip is as faded as an old photograph.
Substitute Meaning: Faint and unclear / Blurred and distant
4. As ancient as the pyramids
Meaning: Very old, beyond modern understanding.
Give an Instance: The traditions they followed were as ancient as the pyramids. / The books in the library were as ancient as the pyramids, full of forgotten knowledge.
Substitute Meaning: Very old / Of a distant era
5. As forgotten as an old song
Meaning: Something no longer remembered or recognized.
Give an Instance: That memory feels as forgotten as an old song no one sings anymore. / The name of the artist is as forgotten as an old song.
Substitute Meaning: Irrelevant and lost / Disregarded by time
6. As dusty as an old attic
Meaning: Something that has been left untouched for a long time.
Give an Instance: The book I found was as dusty as an old attic. / His memories were as dusty as an old attic, gathering layers of time.
Substitute Meaning: Covered in neglect / Left to be forgotten
7. As buried as a treasure chest
Meaning: Something hidden, forgotten, or lost over time.
Give an Instance: Her childhood dreams were as buried as a treasure chest in the backyard. / The old secrets of the town were as buried as a treasure chest.
Substitute Meaning: Hidden for a long time / Forgotten and unreachable
8. As distant as a faraway star
Meaning: Something that seems unreachable or far away in time or space.
Give an Instance: The days of my youth now feel as distant as a faraway star. / The feeling of my first love seems as distant as a faraway star.
Substitute Meaning: Unreachable / Far removed from the present
9. As lost as a forgotten story
Meaning: Something completely lost to time and memory.
Give an Instance: That part of history feels as lost as a forgotten story. / My first childhood house is as lost as a forgotten story now.
Substitute Meaning: Erased by time / No longer remembered
10. As faded as a shadow at dusk
Meaning: Something that gradually disappears or becomes less important over time.
Give an Instance: The memories of the old friends are as faded as a shadow at dusk. / His reputation became as faded as a shadow at dusk.
Substitute Meaning: Slowly disappearing / Becoming unclear with time
11. As distant as the horizon
Meaning: Something that seems unreachable or out of sight in time.
Give an Instance: The past seems as distant as the horizon, always out of reach. / That memory is as distant as the horizon, fading as I move forward.
Substitute Meaning: Far away / Unattainable
12. As old as the hills
Meaning: Very old, ancient.
Give an Instance: The story my grandfather told me was as old as the hills. / That tradition has been around as long as the hills themselves.
Substitute Meaning: Very ancient / Timeless
13. As forgotten as a dusty book
Meaning: Something that has been ignored or neglected over time.
Give an Instance: His name is as forgotten as a dusty book on a shelf. / That old law is as forgotten as a dusty book in the library.
Substitute Meaning: Overlooked / Left behind
14. As withered as autumn leaves
Meaning: Something that has lost its vitality or freshness over time.
Give an Instance: Her childhood dreams felt as withered as autumn leaves. / The faded photograph looked as withered as autumn leaves.
Substitute Meaning: Dried up / Faded with age
15. As faded as the pages of an old diary
Meaning: Something that has become unclear or hard to recall.
Give an Instance: My memories of that summer vacation are as faded as the pages of an old diary. / His handwriting was as faded as the pages of an old diary.
Substitute Meaning: Worn out / Hard to read or remember
16. As forgotten as an old toy
Meaning: Something that is no longer important or remembered.
Give an Instance: That event seems as forgotten as an old toy in the attic. / His past mistakes are as forgotten as an old toy in a drawer.
Substitute Meaning: Ignored / No longer significant
17. As ancient as the moon
Meaning: Extremely old and timeless.
Give an Instance: The legend of the mountain is as ancient as the moon itself. / Their family history is as ancient as the moon.
Substitute Meaning: Ageless / Timeless
18. As lost as a coin in a fountain
Meaning: Something that is impossible to find or recover.
Give an Instance: My childhood innocence feels as lost as a coin in a fountain. / The treasure was as lost as a coin in a fountain.
Substitute Meaning: Gone forever / Unrecoverable
19. As long gone as the summer breeze
Meaning: Something that has disappeared, leaving no trace.
Give an Instance: The days of my youth are as long gone as the summer breeze. / The happiness of that day feels as long gone as the summer breeze.
Substitute Meaning: Gone without a trace / Evaporated
20. As outdated as a rotary phone
Meaning: Something that is no longer relevant or useful.
Give an Instance: His way of thinking feels as outdated as a rotary phone. / That old system is as outdated as a rotary phone.
Substitute Meaning: Old-fashioned / Out of date
21. As distant as a forgotten dream
Meaning: Something that is hard to remember or feels far away.
Give an Instance: That hope seems as distant as a forgotten dream. / His childhood seems as distant as a forgotten dream.
Substitute Meaning: Faded from memory / Unreachable
22. As buried as an old letter in a chest
Meaning: Something that has been hidden or lost over time.
Give an Instance: The truth was as buried as an old letter in a chest. / His feelings were as buried as an old letter in a chest.
Substitute Meaning: Hidden deep / Concealed
23. As distant as the sands of time
Meaning: Something that feels very far in the past, hard to grasp.
Give an Instance: My childhood memories are as distant as the sands of time. / The past events feel as distant as the sands of time.
Substitute Meaning: Far removed / Fading away
24. As forgotten as a broken clock
Meaning: Something that has no purpose or is no longer needed.
Give an Instance: That promise is as forgotten as a broken clock. / The old traditions were as forgotten as a broken clock.
Substitute Meaning: Out of use / Neglected
25. As faded as a sunset on the horizon
Meaning: Something that has gradually disappeared over time.
Give an Instance: His enthusiasm was as faded as a sunset on the horizon. / The colors of the past seemed as faded as a sunset on the horizon.
Substitute Meaning: Fading away / Losing brightness
26. As far away as a dream
Meaning: Something that seems impossible or unreachable.
Give an Instance: The chance of finding the truth seemed as far away as a dream. / Her ambition felt as far away as a dream.
Substitute Meaning: Unreachable / Distant hope
27. As lost as a ship at sea
Meaning: Something or someone that is hopelessly confused or lost.
Give an Instance: He felt as lost as a ship at sea after the breakup. / The instructions were as confusing as a ship at sea.
Substitute Meaning: Completely lost / Confused
28. As rare as a solar eclipse
Meaning: Something that happens very infrequently.
Give an Instance: The chance to meet her again was as rare as a solar eclipse. / The truth was as rare as a solar eclipse.
Substitute Meaning: Extremely rare / Hard to find
29. As out of reach as the stars
Meaning: Something that is impossible to obtain or grasp.
Give an Instance: My dream of becoming an artist felt as out of reach as the stars. / The goal seemed as out of reach as the stars.
Substitute Meaning: Unattainable / Far beyond
30. As dead as a doornail
Meaning: Completely dead or no longer functioning.
Give an Instance: The old radio was as dead as a doornail. / The plan was as dead as a doornail before it even started.
Substitute Meaning: Lifeless / No longer active
31. As past as a forgotten hour
Meaning: Something that has quickly passed and is no longer relevant.
Give an Instance: The opportunity was as past as a forgotten hour. / That moment of joy felt as past as a forgotten hour.
Substitute Meaning: Gone by / Over in a flash
32. As dry as an old riverbed
Meaning: Something that has dried up or is no longer full of life.
Give an Instance: The conversations about the past felt as dry as an old riverbed. / His old hopes were as dry as an old riverbed.
Substitute Meaning: Empty / Without life
33. As gone as the last leaf of autumn
Meaning: Something that is completely finished or lost.
Give an Instance: That era is as gone as the last leaf of autumn. / The old traditions are as gone as the last leaf of autumn.
Substitute Meaning: Completely finished / No longer here
34. As old as the stars
Meaning: Extremely ancient and timeless.
Give an Instance: The legend of the town’s founding was as old as the stars. / That story is as old as the stars themselves.
Substitute Meaning: Very old / Ancient beyond time
35. As quiet as an empty house
Meaning: A place or time that feels still and without life.
Give an Instance: The room felt as quiet as an empty house after the argument. / The old school was as quiet as an empty house during the summer.
Substitute Meaning: Silent / Lifeless
36. As slow as an old clock
Meaning: Something that progresses very slowly.
Give an Instance: Time passed as slow as an old clock during that boring meeting. / His recovery was as slow as an old clock.
Substitute Meaning: Very slow / Moving at a crawl
37. As elusive as a shadow in the dark
Meaning: Something difficult to capture or understand.
Give an Instance: The truth was as elusive as a shadow in the dark. / The answer to the question felt as elusive as a shadow in the dark.
Substitute Meaning: Hard to grasp / Fleeting
38. As empty as an old well
Meaning: Something that feels hollow or void of emotion.
Give an Instance: After the argument, her heart felt as empty as an old well. / His promises were as empty as an old well.
Substitute Meaning: Hollow / Devoid of feeling
39. As still as the air before a storm
Meaning: Something that feels tense or suspenseful.
Give an Instance: The room was as still as the air before a storm. / The quietness of the night felt as still as the air before a storm.
Substitute Meaning: Quiet / Tense and heavy
40. As cold as a forgotten winter
Meaning: Something that feels emotionally distant or unimportant.
Give an Instance: His response was as cold as a forgotten winter. / The relationship felt as cold as a forgotten winter.
Substitute Meaning: Emotionally distant / Unfeeling
41. As lost as a needle in a haystack
Meaning: Something that is extremely hard to find or understand.
Give an Instance: My keys were as lost as a needle in a haystack. / Finding the truth was as lost as a needle in a haystack.
Substitute Meaning: Impossible to find / Extremely hard to locate
42. As fading as a last breath
Meaning: Something that is coming to an end or slowly disappearing.
Give an Instance: His words were as fading as a last breath. / The moment of happiness was as fading as a last breath.
Substitute Meaning: Slowly disappearing / Fading away
43. As thin as a forgotten whisper
Meaning: Something faint or almost imperceptible.
Give an Instance: His memory was as thin as a forgotten whisper. / The old sound of the song was as thin as a forgotten whisper.
Substitute Meaning: Faint / Almost gone
44. As old as a forgotten grave
Meaning: Something ancient and no longer relevant.
Give an Instance: That law is as old as a forgotten grave. / The idea of the old kingdom is as old as a forgotten grave.
Substitute Meaning: Ancient / No longer in use
45. As forgotten as yesterday’s news
Meaning: Something that has already been discarded or overlooked.
Give an Instance: The idea was as forgotten as yesterday’s news. / His complaint was as forgotten as yesterday’s news.
Substitute Meaning: Discarded / No longer important
Find the “Similes About the Past”
Last week, our class visited the old school library. The wooden floors creaked like a door in an empty house. I walked past the dusty shelves, and the books sat there like forgotten friends. One corner had a stack of yearbooks—each one like a photo stuck in a drawer.
I opened one and saw pictures of past students. Their smiles looked like sunshine caught in a jar. Mrs. Carter, our teacher, said her first class felt like a bedtime story she still remembered. In the back, we found a box of trophies, now covered in dust, like old shoes left in the garage.
Jake picked up a medal and said, “This feels like a balloon with no air—it used to mean something big.” Mia said the room was like a whisper in the wind, quiet but full of memories. Before we left, I looked at a drawing from years ago. It was like chalk on a blackboard—faint but still there.
Walking out, I felt like a leaf in the wind, drifting through time.
Your Turn
Underline or list all the similes you found in the story.
Answer Key
- Like a door in an empty house
- Like forgotten friends
- Like a photo stuck in a drawer
- Like sunshine caught in a jar
- Like a bedtime story
- Like old shoes left in the garage
- Like a balloon with no air
- Like a whisper in the wind
- Like chalk on a blackboard
- Like a leaf in the wind
Conclusion
Similes help us describe the past in ways that are easy to picture and feel. They turn memories into images we can understand, like a faded photo or a whisper in the wind. These comparisons make stories more meaningful and real.
By using similes, we can explain old memories in a way others can connect with. Whether it’s a fun school trip or a quiet moment, the right simile helps others see what we saw and feel what we felt.
