Which term directly names the use of non-literal, imaginative comparison using 'as' or 'like'?

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

Answer: (A)

Simile is the figure of speech that uses “as” or “like” to make a non-literal, imaginative comparison explicit. It links two unlike things by highlighting a shared quality, making the image easy to visualize. For example, saying someone is “as brave as a lion” directly signals the comparison with the word pair “as.” This explicit use of “as” or “like” is what defines a simile. By contrast, a metaphor makes a similar comparison without using those words, such as “the world is a stage.” Irony involves saying the opposite of what is meant, often for humor or critique, and hyperbole relies on exaggerated statements for emphasis. So the term that directly names the use of non-literal, imaginative comparison with “as” or “like” is simile.