A comparison using "like" or "as" is known as what?

A comparison using "like" or "as" is referred to as a simile. This figure of speech explicitly highlights the similarities between two different things by using these comparative words. For example, saying "as brave as a lion" or "like a rose in bloom" illustrates the characteristics of one subject by comparing it to another, allowing for vivid imagery and a better understanding of the qualities being discussed.

In contrast, allegory is a narrative technique in which characters or events represent broader concepts or moral lessons, often extending beyond a single instance. A metaphor also compares two unlike things, but it does so directly by asserting that one thing is another (e.g., "Time is a thief"), without using "like" or "as." Symbol, on the other hand, refers to the use of an object, character, or event to represent a deeper meaning or concept, which is not a direct comparison but rather a representation.