The article explores how the formation of metaphors in a specific communication environment is based on cognitive practices and, in general, on the main causes of metaphorical creativity. The article observed that the social environment of communicants plays an important role in choosing a metaphor. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine the manifestation of the process of linguistic thinking not justified for certain reasons. The literature on cognitive linguistics refers to the practice of generalizing and using one's own experience in metaphorical thinking and speech. However, such an interpretation can only lead to a partial understanding of the nature of the metaphor. It is worth noting that the formation of contextual requirements and conditions is not only a metaphor, but also a key feature that determines the essence of other linguistic phenomena.