Which term describes comparing two unlike things without using like or as?

• A. Simile
• B. Anaphora
• C. Metaphor
• D. Personification

Answer: (C)

Comparing two unlike things without using like or as is a form of figurative language called a metaphor. It works by saying one thing is another, which creates a direct image or idea. For example, "Time is a thief" treats time as if it were a thief to suggest it steals moments. That direct transfer of identity—one thing equals another—is the hallmark of a metaphor. A simile, by contrast, uses like or as to make a comparison, as in "as brave as a lion." Anaphora is about repeating a word or phrase at the beginnings of successive clauses, not about making comparisons. Personification gives human traits to nonhuman things, like "the wind whispered," which is about giving life to something nonhuman rather than directly equating two things. So, the best term for the description is metaphor.