What describes an expression that hints at something without mentioning it directly?

An expression that hints at something without mentioning it directly is called an allusion. Allusion draws on a reference to a person, place, event, or literary work that the audience is expected to recognize, allowing the writer to convey deeper meaning or context without elaborating extensively. For example, saying someone is a "real Romeo" alludes to Shakespeare’s character, suggesting romance without directly stating it.

The other choices serve different functions in language: an analogy establishes a relationship between two different things for comparison, a metaphor directly asserts that one thing is another for imaginative effect, and a simile compares two things using "like" or "as." While all are literary devices, none specifically serve the purpose of hinting at something indirectly in the manner that an allusion does.