The opposite of a metaphor is a literal statement. While a metaphor compares two unlike things by stating that one thing is another, a literal statement describes something exactly as it is, without any figurative language or imaginative comparisons.
For example, if we say, ‘Time is a thief,’ we are using a metaphor to suggest that time steals moments from our lives. The opposite, a literal statement, would be something like, ‘Time passes as we age.’ This statement describes the passage of time without any figurative language.
In summary, metaphors use imaginative comparisons to convey meaning, while literal statements stick to the facts and describe things as they truly are.