Final answer:
A comparison using 'as' or 'like' is called a simile, which is a figurative language device using these words to indirectly compare two different things.
Step-by-step explanation:
A comparison using the words 'as' or 'like' to compare an object, idea, character, action, etc. to another thing is known as a simile. Similes are a type of figurative language that create an indirect comparison, suggesting that one thing is similar to another, distinct item.
For example, the phrase 'as brave as a lion' compares a person's bravery to that of a lion, implying a high level of courage. Unlike metaphors, which also compare two unlike things but do so by stating one thing is another, similes use 'like' or 'as' as connectors in their comparisons.