metaphorically

adverb

met·​a·​phor·​i·​cal·​ly ˌme-tə-ˈfȯr-i-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈfär-

: in a metaphorical or figurative sense rather than a literal sense : by using a metaphor

At the center of every encryption system is a secret number or mathematical operation, metaphorically referred to as a key.

—Peter Wayner

At a typical event, he comes crashing onstage, delivers a macho statement of intent, metaphorically flexes his muscles, then roars away.

—Terry McCarthy

They settled in Somerville, Mass., next door to Cambridge but metaphorically across the tracks.

—Laura Shapiro

Examples of metaphorically in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unique Vibe: Elevated both literally and metaphorically—this venue perfectly balances Chicago skyline drama with cocktail craftsmanship. —Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025

This could be a graduation vibes (literally or metaphorically) or a moment that your worldview radically shifts. —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 July 2025

Jack Mandala, the CEO of Seamless Air Alliance, a standards organization for in-flight connectivity, told me that air-to-ground works like your cellphone—the bottom of the plane needs a view (metaphorically speaking) of base stations from the air. —Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 25 July 2025

The baton had been passed on, literally and metaphorically. —Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 9 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for metaphorically

• allegorically
• rhetorically