as in parable
a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life
Dr. Seuss's story "The Sneetches" is a telling allegory about tolerance for people's differences
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Recent Examples of allegory
Is this the real world or an apocalyptic allegory of some kind?
—
Jenelle Riley, Variety, 14 Jan. 2026
The team’s hypothesis gets its name from a 2,400-year-old allegory by the Greek philosopher Plato.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 7 Jan. 2026
His canvases are populated by allegories.
—Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Sirāt‘s central themes are deeply rooted in both metaphysical allegory and contemporary societal critique.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allegory
Jenelle Riley, Variety, 14 Jan. 2026
The team’s hypothesis gets its name from a 2,400-year-old allegory by the Greek philosopher Plato.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 7 Jan. 2026
His canvases are populated by allegories.
—Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Sirāt‘s central themes are deeply rooted in both metaphysical allegory and contemporary societal critique.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allegory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allegory
Noun
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Faustian parables unlock more interesting connotations when considered not in terms of politics, but of art.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
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In the parable of the cave, in the Republic, Plato compares human beings to cave dwellers who never see the sun, but perceive everything by shadowy firelight.—
Adam Kirsch,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This poetic, interactive solo-theater piece blends fable and modern-day storytelling.—
Caroline Ritzie,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Feb. 2026
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The Grand Prix winner of last year’s Cannes Critics Week, filmmaker Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s snaky, surprising fable starts with a sneeze and explodes into a saga about bureaucracy, modernization and moral corruption.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Evelyn, like so many of her neighbors, owns a chapter in this tale.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Feel-good tale about a young female governor?—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Allegory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allegory. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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