Crime is a serious problem in many places. People talk about it in many ways. One way is by using metaphors. A metaphor is a way to describe something by saying it is something else. This helps people picture the idea more clearly.
In this article, we’ll look at how crime is described using metaphors. These phrases can make stories and news more powerful. They help us understand how crime affects people and places. Whether it’s in books, movies, or everyday speech, metaphors make the message stronger and easier to remember. Let’s take a closer look.
Metaphors about Crime
1. Crime is a shadow
Meaning: Crime hides in dark places.
Within a Sentence: Crime is a shadow that follows people around. / The town felt cold, like crime’s shadow was everywhere.
In Other Words: Crime hides and creeps quietly.
2. Crime is a storm
Meaning: Crime comes suddenly and causes trouble.
Within a Sentence: When crime hits, it’s like a storm tearing through the city. / The robbery was a storm of trouble.
In Other Words: Crime causes chaos fast.
3. Crime is a virus
Meaning: Crime spreads quickly and harms others.
Within a Sentence: Crime spread through the neighborhood like a virus. / The gang’s actions were a virus infecting the town.
In Other Words: Crime moves from place to place, causing damage.
4. Crime is a fire
Meaning: Crime destroys things quickly.
Within a Sentence: One crime lit a fire in the city. / Crime burned through their peace like a wildfire.
In Other Words: Crime causes damage like flames.
5. Crime is a trap
Meaning: Crime catches people who don’t expect it.
Within a Sentence: He walked into a trap of crime. / Crime can trap you before you know it.
In Other Words: Crime tricks and catches people.
6. Crime is a stain
Meaning: Crime leaves a mark that is hard to clean.
Within a Sentence: That crime left a stain on the town’s name. / The robbery stained his record forever.
In Other Words: Crime leaves a bad mark.
7. Crime is a monster
Meaning: Crime is scary and harmful.
Within a Sentence: Crime is a monster hiding in the streets. / The monster of crime hurt many families.
In Other Words: Crime is frightening and dangerous.
8. Crime is a wave
Meaning: Crime comes in big groups.
Within a Sentence: A wave of crime hit the city. / We watched the wave of crime wash over the town.
In Other Words: Many crimes happened at once.
9. Crime is a whisper
Meaning: Crime can be secret and quiet.
Within a Sentence: The crime happened with just a whisper. / Crime whispered through the hallway at night.
In Other Words: Crime can be sneaky and soft.
10. Crime is a puzzle
Meaning: It can be hard to understand.
Within a Sentence: Solving the crime felt like putting together a puzzle. / The police worked hard to finish the crime puzzle.
In Other Words: Crime isn’t always easy to figure out.
11. Crime is a thief of peace
Meaning: Crime takes away safety.
Within a Sentence: Crime is a thief of peace in the neighborhood. / It stole their calm like a sneaky thief.
In Other Words: Crime makes people feel unsafe.
12. Crime is a ticking clock
Meaning: It’s only a matter of time before it happens.
Within a Sentence: The town felt like a ticking clock before the next crime. / They waited as crime ticked closer.
In Other Words: Crime is coming soon.
13. Crime is a poison
Meaning: It slowly hurts people and places.
Within a Sentence: Crime is a poison in the community. / It spread like poison in their hearts.
In Other Words: Crime harms everything it touches.
14. Crime is a crack in the wall
Meaning: It weakens society.
Within a Sentence: Each crime was a crack in the wall of trust. / The wall of safety started to crack.
In Other Words: Crime breaks things apart.
15. Crime is a game
Meaning: Some people treat it like a challenge.
Within a Sentence: He played crime like a game. / The gang saw it as a fun game.
In Other Words: They didn’t take crime seriously.
16. Crime is a cold wind
Meaning: It makes people scared and uncomfortable.
Within a Sentence: Crime blew in like a cold wind. / Everyone felt the chill of crime.
In Other Words: Crime scares people.
17. Crime is a chain
Meaning: One crime leads to another.
Within a Sentence: One theft started a chain of crimes. / The crime chain kept growing.
In Other Words: Crimes connect together.
18. Crime is a mask
Meaning: It hides the truth.
Within a Sentence: Crime wore a mask and tricked them. / The truth was hidden behind a crime mask.
In Other Words: Crime covers what’s real.
19. Crime is a hole
Meaning: It’s easy to fall in and hard to escape.
Within a Sentence: He fell into a hole of crime. / Crime is a deep hole with no end.
In Other Words: It’s hard to get out of once you’re in.
20. Crime is a storm cloud
Meaning: It brings trouble and darkness.
Within a Sentence: Crime is a storm cloud hanging over the city. / You can feel it before it hits.
In Other Words: Crime brings bad feelings.
21. Crime is a broken promise
Meaning: It goes against rules and trust.
Within a Sentence: Crime is a broken promise to the community. / His actions broke the promise of peace.
In Other Words: Crime breaks what people believe in.
22. Crime is a wall
Meaning: It keeps people apart.
Within a Sentence: Crime built a wall between neighbors. / It stopped people from trusting each other.
In Other Words: Crime causes separation.
23. Crime is a ghost
Meaning: It’s scary and hard to see.
Within a Sentence: The ghost of crime haunted the streets. / You can feel crime even if you don’t see it.
In Other Words: Crime is spooky and sneaky.
24. Crime is a ripple
Meaning: One small act spreads out.
Within a Sentence: The crime caused a ripple in the town. / Everyone felt its waves.
In Other Words: One crime affects many people.
25. Crime is a thorn
Meaning: It causes pain.
Within a Sentence: Crime is a thorn in our side. / It hurt the city like a sharp thorn.
In Other Words: Crime hurts people.
26. Crime is a lie
Meaning: It’s false and unfair.
Within a Sentence: His crime was a big lie. / Crime tells lies instead of truth.
In Other Words: Crime hides honesty.
27. Crime is a maze
Meaning: It’s hard to escape or understand.
Within a Sentence: She was stuck in a maze of crime. / The cops had to find their way out of the maze.
In Other Words: Crime is confusing.
28. Crime is a whisper in the dark
Meaning: It’s quiet and sneaky.
Within a Sentence: Crime moved like a whisper in the dark. / No one saw it coming.
In Other Words: Crime hides well.
29. Crime is a fog
Meaning: It makes things unclear.
Within a Sentence: The truth was lost in the fog of crime. / Crime made everything hard to see.
In Other Words: Crime brings confusion.
30. Crime is a snake
Meaning: It’s tricky and dangerous.
Within a Sentence: Crime slithered like a snake. / You never knew where it would strike.
In Other Words: Crime surprises people.
31. Crime is a broken clock
Meaning: It shows the world is not working right.
Within a Sentence: Crime is a broken clock in the system. / Nothing lines up when crime is in charge.
In Other Words: Things go wrong with crime.
32. Crime is a shadow puppet
Meaning: Someone else might be controlling it.
Within a Sentence: Crime looked like his idea, but someone was pulling the strings. / The gang acted like shadow puppets.
In Other Words: Crime is not always what it seems.
33. Crime is a cage
Meaning: It traps people.
Within a Sentence: His life in crime became a cage. / She couldn’t escape the crime cage.
In Other Words: Crime locks you in.
34. Crime is a dark road
Meaning: It leads to bad places.
Within a Sentence: He chose the dark road of crime. / Crime led her down a bad path.
In Other Words: Crime takes you the wrong way.
35. Crime is a thief of time
Meaning: It wastes life.
Within a Sentence: He lost years to the thief called crime. / Crime steals more than just things.
In Other Words: Crime takes away your life.
36. Crime is a firecracker
Meaning: It starts with a bang and spreads.
Within a Sentence: That one crime was a firecracker for the whole block. / It popped and lit up trouble fast.
In Other Words: Crime causes fast trouble.
37. Crime is a bitter seed
Meaning: It grows into bigger problems.
Within a Sentence: That small lie was a bitter seed of crime. / Crime grows from little seeds.
In Other Words: Crime starts small but becomes worse.
38. Crime is a locked door
Meaning: It closes off good chances.
Within a Sentence: His record became a locked door. / Crime locked out his future.
In Other Words: Crime stops good things from happening.
39. Crime is a foghorn
Meaning: It’s loud and can’t be ignored.
Within a Sentence: That robbery was a foghorn for the city. / Crime blared out for all to hear.
In Other Words: Some crimes get big attention.
40. Crime is a broken mirror
Meaning: It shows a wrong view of life.
Within a Sentence: Crime gave them a broken mirror of the world. / They couldn’t see clearly anymore.
In Other Words: Crime gives false ideas.
41. Crime is a ticking bomb
Meaning: It’s going to explode if not stopped.
Within a Sentence: That crime ring was a ticking bomb. / The tension in the area felt like a crime bomb.
In Other Words: Crime builds up and causes trouble.
42. Crime is a black hole
Meaning: It pulls people in, and they can’t escape.
Within a Sentence: Once he joined the gang, the black hole of crime pulled him in. / Crime swallowed him like a black hole.
In Other Words: Crime pulls you down.
43. Crime is a runaway train
Meaning: It’s hard to stop once it starts.
Within a Sentence: The city’s crime was like a runaway train. / One mistake led to another, like a train off its track.
In Other Words: Crime keeps going fast.
44. Crime is a mask of fear
Meaning: People use it to scare others.
Within a Sentence: The gang used crime as a mask of fear. / It made others afraid to speak up.
In Other Words: Crime scares people on purpose.
45. Crime is a broken fence
Meaning: It lets bad things in.
Within a Sentence: Crime broke the fence of safety. / The town had no protection.
In Other Words: Crime opens the door to danger.
46. Crime is a snowball
Meaning: It gets bigger as it rolls.
Within a Sentence: The small crime turned into a snowball. / It kept growing and rolling downhill.
In Other Words: Crime grows fast.
47. Crime is a secret garden
Meaning: It’s hidden but full of trouble.
Within a Sentence: The alley was a secret garden of crime. / You never knew what was growing there.
In Other Words: Crime hides in quiet places.
48. Crime is a shattered window
Meaning: It shows something is broken.
Within a Sentence: The city’s crime was a shattered window. / You could see the damage clearly.
In Other Words: Crime shows things aren’t right.
49. Crime is a maze of mirrors
Meaning: It’s full of tricks.
Within a Sentence: The clues led to a maze of mirrors. / Crime tricks you with fake paths.
In Other Words: Crime is confusing and tricky.
50. Crime is a ticking engine
Meaning: It’s always running in the background.
Within a Sentence: You could hear the engine of crime in that neighborhood. / It never really stops.
In Other Words: Crime keeps going unless stopped.
51. Crime is a falling star
Meaning: It burns bright and fast, then crashes.
Within a Sentence: His life in crime was a falling star. / He shined for a moment, then fell.
In Other Words: Crime doesn’t last long.
52. Crime is a dark echo
Meaning: It keeps coming back.
Within a Sentence: That crime echoed through the town. / Every corner held its dark sound.
In Other Words: Crime doesn’t go away easily.
53. Crime is a locked chest
Meaning: It hides secrets.
Within a Sentence: The truth behind the crime was in a locked chest. / They couldn’t get the answers.
In Other Words: Crime keeps things hidden.
54. Crime is a rough sea
Meaning: It’s wild and unsafe.
Within a Sentence: Life in that area felt like a rough sea of crime. / No one could stay steady.
In Other Words: Crime makes things scary and bumpy.
55. Crime is a broken toy
Meaning: It shows something once good is now ruined.
Within a Sentence: Their peaceful life became a broken toy after crime came. / Nothing worked the same.
In Other Words: Crime breaks good things.
56. Crime is a stray dog
Meaning: It wanders around and causes trouble.
Within a Sentence: Crime was like a stray dog always looking for a place to dig in. / It showed up where no one wanted it.
In Other Words: Crime pops up and bothers people.
57. Crime is a loud drum
Meaning: It can be heard and felt.
Within a Sentence: The noise of crime beat like a loud drum. / Everyone noticed it.
In Other Words: Crime is hard to ignore.
58. Crime is a dirty mirror
Meaning: It reflects a bad image.
Within a Sentence: The town saw itself in a dirty mirror of crime. / What they saw wasn’t good.
In Other Words: Crime makes things look worse.
59. Crime is a spider’s web
Meaning: It’s sticky and hard to escape.
Within a Sentence: He got caught in a spider’s web of crime. / One step and he was stuck.
In Other Words: Crime traps people easily.
60. Crime is a hungry wolf
Meaning: It always wants more.
Within a Sentence: Crime is a hungry wolf never full. / It keeps coming back for more.
In Other Words: Crime doesn’t stop unless stopped.
Metaphors About Crime – True/False Quiz
- “Crime is a shadow” means crime is bright and easy to see.
True / False - “Crime is a fire” means it can destroy things quickly.
True / False - Saying “Crime is a puzzle” means it’s easy to solve and understand.
True / False - “Crime is a thief of peace” means it helps people feel calm and safe.
True / False - “Crime is a chain” means crimes can be connected and lead to more.
True / False - “Crime is a mask” means it hides what is really going on.
True / False - “Crime is a maze” shows that crime is simple and clear.
True / False - “Crime is a broken fence” means it helps protect the community.
True / False - “Crime is a bitter seed” means it starts small and grows into trouble.
True / False - “Crime is a loud drum” means it is quiet and easy to miss.
True / False - “Crime is a spider’s web” means it’s sticky and can trap people.
True / False - “Crime is a fog” means it makes things hard to see or understand.
True / False - “Crime is a hungry wolf” means it never wants more and goes away fast.
True / False - “Crime is a dark road” means it can lead to bad outcomes.
True / False - “Crime is a falling star” means it is slow and lasts a long time.
True / False
Answer Key
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- False
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
Scoring Guide
- 15 Correct Answers: Metaphors Master!
- 10–14 Correct Answers: You really get Metaphors, nice work!
- 6–9 Correct Answers: You’re learning, keep going!
- 0–5 Correct Answers: Let’s learn about Metaphors together!
Conclusion
Metaphors about crime help us picture what crime feels like and how it affects people. Instead of just saying “crime is bad,” these phrases give strong images that help us understand more deeply. They show how crime can spread, scare, or trap others.
By learning these metaphors, we can explain things better and also spot these phrases in books and movies. Keep practicing, and soon, you’ll be great at using and understanding these smart ways of talking.
