Which term describes a figure of speech that makes a comparison not literally true to create an image?

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Figurative language describes expressions that go beyond the literal meaning to create vivid images or effects. It covers a range of devices—metaphors, similes, personification, and more—that rely on non-literal comparisons to evoke pictures in the reader’s mind. The description in the question points to this broad category, because the goal is to convey meaning through a comparison that isn’t literally true in order to paint a stronger image. While a metaphor makes a direct, implicit comparison and a simile uses like or as to compare, figurative language is the umbrella term that includes both and other non-literal techniques. That broader term is why it’s the best fit here.