Which term describes a direct comparison between two unlike things that does not use like or as?

• A. Metaphor
• B. Simile
• C. Stanza
• D. Line structure

Answer: (A)

Metaphor. It’s a direct comparison that says one thing is another, without using like or as. This makes the image feel vivid and immediate, because it treats the two unlike things as the same thing in a moment of meaning. For example, saying “Time is a thief” suggests time steals moments from our lives, not that time somehow resembles a thief. That direct assertion is what sets a metaphor apart.

If you encounter a phrase like “Her smile was as bright as the sun,” that would be a simile—it uses like or as to compare. A stanza is simply a grouped set of lines in a poem, and line structure refers to how those lines are arranged or measured; neither is about making a direct comparison between two things.