Some words carry intensity, and “quite” is one of them. The word quite means “very” or “completely” — but saying “it was quite big” feels flat; a vivid simile makes the intensity unforgettable. Below you will find 45 similes for quite, each with its meaning and an example sentence — covering quite big, quite small, quite sure, quite tired, and quite happy. For more big things, our 45 similes for big go even further.
Similes for Quite Big
1. Like a mountain. Meaning: Impressively, undeniably big. Example: “The pile of laundry was like a mountain.”
2. As huge as a whale. Meaning: Enormous in scale. Example: “The ship was as huge as a whale.”
3. Like a skyscraper. Meaning: Towering and tall. Example: “The bookshelf stood like a skyscraper.”
4. As vast as the ocean. Meaning: Big beyond measuring. Example: “Her knowledge was as vast as the ocean.”
5. Like a giant’s footprint. Meaning: Comically, massively large. Example: “The crater looked like a giant’s footprint.”
6. As big as a house. Meaning: Huge in everyday terms. Example: “The dog was as big as a house.”
7. Like an elephant in the room. Meaning: Big and impossible to ignore. Example: “The problem sat like an elephant in the room.”
8. As towering as a redwood. Meaning: Majestically tall. Example: “He stood as towering as a redwood.”
9. Like a full moon. Meaning: Round, bright, and strikingly large. Example: “The harvest moon hung like a full moon over the fields.”
Similes for Quite Small
10. Like a grain of sand. Meaning: Almost invisibly small. Example: “The chance was like a grain of sand.”
11. As tiny as an ant. Meaning: Remarkably little. Example: “The newborn kitten was as tiny as an ant in his palm.”
12. Like a speck of dust. Meaning: Barely there at all. Example: “The village was like a speck of dust on the map.”
13. As small as a pea. Meaning: Cute and compact. Example: “The apartment was as small as a pea.”
14. Like a drop in the ocean. Meaning: Insignificant in scale. Example: “My savings felt like a drop in the ocean.”
15. As little as a button. Meaning: Neatly, charmingly small. Example: “The cottage was as little as a button.”
16. Like a crumb. Meaning: A tiny leftover piece. Example: “The portion was like a crumb.”
17. As minute as a mite. Meaning: Microscopic in size. Example: “The detail was as minute as a mite.”
18. Like a whisper in a storm. Meaning: Small and easily drowned out. Example: “Her objection was like a whisper in a storm.”
Similes for Quite Sure
19. Like the sun rising. Meaning: Absolutely certain. Example: “He was like the sun rising — completely sure.”
20. As certain as death and taxes. Meaning: The classic guarantee. Example: “The outcome was as certain as death and taxes.”
21. Like 2+2=4. Meaning: Mathematically undeniable. Example: “She was like 2+2=4 about the answer.”
22. As sure as night follows day. Meaning: Inevitable and natural. Example: “He knew it as sure as night follows day.”
23. Like gravity. Meaning: A law you can count on. Example: “Her confidence held like gravity.”
24. As solid as rock. Meaning: Unshakeable certainty. Example: “His belief was as solid as rock.”
25. Like your own name. Meaning: Known without thinking. Example: “She knew the route like your own name.”
26. As definite as a full stop. Meaning: Final, no doubts. Example: “The decision was as definite as a full stop.”
27. Like the tide coming in. Meaning: Sure as nature’s rhythm. Example: “She was like the tide coming in — no doubt at all.”
Similes for Quite Tired
28. Like a marathon’s last mile. Meaning: Completely worn out. Example: “After the move, I felt like a marathon’s last mile.”
29. As exhausted as a wrung-out rag. Meaning: Nothing left to give. Example: “She was as exhausted as a wrung-out rag.”
30. Like a phone on 1%. Meaning: About to shut down. Example: “By midnight I was like a phone on 1%.”
31. As drained as a bathtub. Meaning: Emptied of all energy. Example: “He felt as drained as a bathtub.”
32. Like a candle at its end. Meaning: Flickering out. Example: “Her energy burned like a candle at its end.”
33. As weary as a traveler at dusk. Meaning: Long-journey tiredness. Example: “They arrived as weary as travelers at dusk.”
34. Like a dog after a long walk. Meaning: Happily exhausted. Example: “The kids flopped down like dogs after a long walk.”
35. As spent as a firework. Meaning: All brilliance used up. Example: “After the performance, she was as spent as a firework.”
36. Like collapsing into bed. Meaning: The tiredness of relief. Example: “The feeling was like collapsing into bed.”
Similes for Quite Happy
37. Like a kid on Christmas morning. Meaning: Pure, bursting joy. Example: “She was like a kid on Christmas morning.”
38. As joyful as a wedding day. Meaning: Celebration-level happiness. Example: “The reunion was as joyful as a wedding day.”
39. Like sunshine breaking through. Meaning: Happiness after gloom. Example: “Her mood lifted like sunshine breaking through.”
40. As delighted as a lottery winner. Meaning: Over-the-top joy. Example: “He grinned as delighted as a lottery winner.”
41. Like the first warm day of spring. Meaning: Fresh, hopeful happiness. Example: “It felt like the first warm day of spring.”
42. As cheerful as birdsong. Meaning: Light, natural joy. Example: “Her laugh was as cheerful as birdsong.”
43. Like floating on air. Meaning: Weightless happiness. Example: “After the good news, she was like floating on air.”
44. As thrilled as a fan whose team won. Meaning: Explosive, shared joy. Example: “He cheered as thrilled as a fan whose team won.”
45. Like laughter that won’t stop. Meaning: Joy too big to contain. Example: “The evening was like laughter that won’t stop.”
Similes for Quite Moments
Life is full of “quite” moments — remarkable, intense, unforgettable. These similes capture them:
- Like quite a day — one for the diary.
- As quite as a plot twist — nobody saw it coming.
- Like quite the story — worth retelling for years.
- As quite as a comeback — an impressive return.
- Like quite a sight — hard to forget.
- As quite as a surprise party — delightfully shocking.
- Like quite the character — an unforgettable person.
- As quite as a standing ovation — well and truly earned.
- Like quite the adventure — stories for a lifetime.
- As quite as they come — the genuine article.
10 Quick Similes for Intensity
| Simile | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Like a mountain | Describing something quite big |
| Like a grain of sand | Describing something quite small |
| Like the sun rising | Describing being quite sure |
| Like a phone on 1% | Describing being quite tired |
| Like a kid on Christmas morning | Describing being quite happy |
| As huge as a whale | Describing great size |
| As tiny as an ant | Describing smallness |
| As certain as death and taxes | Describing certainty |
| As drained as a bathtub | Describing exhaustion |
| As delighted as a lottery winner | Describing joy |
FAQs About Similes for Quite
What does “quite” mean?
“Quite” is an adverb meaning “very,” “completely,” or “fairly” — it adds intensity, as in “quite big” or “quite sure.”
What is a good simile for “quite big”?
“Like a mountain” is simple and powerful. For humor, “like an elephant in the room” works when the bigness is obvious.
How do you describe “quite tired” with a simile?
“Like a phone on 1%” is modern and relatable. “As exhausted as a wrung-out rag” is the vivid classic.
Can “quite” mean both “very” and “fairly”?
Yes. In American English it usually means “very”; in British English it often means “fairly” or “rather.” Context decides.
Final Thought
“Quite” turns ordinary into intense — quite big, quite sure, quite happy. These 45 similes give you vivid language for every degree of intensity, so your descriptions always land with full force.
The PublishScales Editorial Team researches and writes clear, original guides to similes and figurative language.
