Which term compares two things without using like or as?

• A. Simile
• B. Metaphor
• C. Irony
• D. Alliteration

Answer: (B)

Metaphor expresses a direct comparison by saying one thing is another, without using like or as. This links two unlike things by identity rather than by a similarity, making the image feel immediate and vivid—e.g., “Time is a thief” or “Her mind was a labyrinth.” You can tell a metaphor apart from a simile because a simile uses like or as to make the comparison, such as “brave as a lion.” Irony is about saying the opposite of what is meant or about a contrast between expectation and reality, and alliteration is a sound device that repeats initial consonant sounds. So the term that compares two things without using like or as is metaphor.