Which figure of speech makes a comparison between two unrelated things without using the words like or as?

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

Answer: (A)

Metaphor creates a direct comparison between two unlike things without using like or as. This fits the description because it asserts that one thing is another, signaling meaning rather than a literal identity. For example, saying “The classroom was a zoo” treats the room as if it were a zoo, conveying lively chaos without using like or as. A simile, by contrast, would compare using words like or as. An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning isn’t predictable from the individual words. Hyperbole uses exaggeration for effect rather than a direct comparison. Metaphor is the correct figure of speech here.