Referring to the news media as "the press" is an example of which literary device?

Referring to the news media as "the press" is an example of metonymy, a literary device in which one term is substituted for another with which it is closely associated. In this case, "the press" specifically refers to the industry and people involved in news reporting and publishing, using a part (the act of pressing or printing) to represent the whole (the entire media organization). Metonymy often involves nouns that are associated with a broader concept, enhancing language by creating connections between ideas.

In contrast, simile is a comparison between two different things using "like" or "as," while metaphor is a more direct comparison without those words. Synecdoche, while similar to metonymy, specifically involves using a part to represent the whole or the whole to represent a part; "the press" does not fit this definition as it denotes an associated concept rather than a part. Thus, the correct identification of "the press" as metonymy shows an understanding of how language can encapsulate complex social functions through succinct terminology.