allegorical

adjective

al·​le·​gor·​i·​cal ˌa-lə-ˈgȯr-i-kəl How to pronounce allegorical (audio)
-ˈgär-
1
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of allegory
allegorical paintings
allegorical meanings of images
allegorical symbols of our culture
2
: having hidden spiritual meaning that transcends the literal sense of a sacred text
allegorically adverb
allegoricalness noun

Examples of allegorical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web What was your process in deciding how to write about an enormous—because surreal—event like a body switch, in terms of how much to explain and how much to leave to interpretive and perhaps allegorical reading? Hazlitt, 20 Sep. 2023 When Marjorie Taylor Greene wore a white coat with a fur collar while heckling the president during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, many on social media saw Cruella de Vil — but Greene seems to have been aiming for something a little more allegorical. Ashley Fetters Maloy, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2023 The most striking effect comes courtesy of Santa Fe: at the outset, the allegorical figure of La Musica is sitting in a hospital bed atop a domelike hill, watching the sun go down over distant mountains. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023 The allegorical film, beautifully shot in black-and-white by ace cinematographer Ed Lachman, stars revered 87-year-old Chilean actor Jaime Vadell in the role of Pinochet, who in reality died at the age of 91 in 2006, unpunished and rich. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 29 Aug. 2023 Season 3, in particular, switched focus between an arc about Alfred and company’s European tour and a series of allegorical, anthology-style episodes that featured the main cast little or not at all. James Poniewozik, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2022 These are not allegorical trees that stand for some human quality. Hazlitt, 26 July 2023 Cole had made his home in the Catskills, and flourished as a painter devoted to the scenery of the Northeast, as well as dramatic allegorical series and architectural fantasies. Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 24 July 2023 The original text is a sprawling dream narrative in which a figure known as the Lover, having become enamored of a rose, converses with dozens of allegorical figures, including the God of Love, Lady Reason, and Shame. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'allegorical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see allegory

First Known Use

1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of allegorical was in 1528

Dictionary Entries Near allegorical

Cite this Entry

“Allegorical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allegorical. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

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