as in metaphoric
expressing one thing in terms normally used for another
the figurative use of "allergy" to mean "a feeling of dislike"
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of figurative
Jenny Saville at Ca Pesaro, Saville’s large-scale figurative paintings from the 1990s forward in one of Venice's most beautiful museum spaces.
—
Erica Firpo, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Case in point is the Haryma necklace, where yellow and orange diamonds come to play with garnets and white diamonds to create a shading effect on the necklace and figurative tiger descending a staircase arrangement supported by five imperial topazes, totaling just over 28 carats.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 13 May 2026
Camacho-Padilla, 42, is a figurative painter and fiber artist (and holistic health practitioner) living in Hillcrest with his partner, Arlyn Hackett.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
Gaypalani Waṉambi won the AU$50,000 Wynne Prize, given annually for a landscape painting or figurative sculpture depicting Australian scenery, for The Waṉambi tree, an abstract spray-paint-on-steel work.
—News Desk, Artforum, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for figurative
Erica Firpo, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
Case in point is the Haryma necklace, where yellow and orange diamonds come to play with garnets and white diamonds to create a shading effect on the necklace and figurative tiger descending a staircase arrangement supported by five imperial topazes, totaling just over 28 carats.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 13 May 2026
Camacho-Padilla, 42, is a figurative painter and fiber artist (and holistic health practitioner) living in Hillcrest with his partner, Arlyn Hackett.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
Gaypalani Waṉambi won the AU$50,000 Wynne Prize, given annually for a landscape painting or figurative sculpture depicting Australian scenery, for The Waṉambi tree, an abstract spray-paint-on-steel work.
—News Desk, Artforum, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for figurative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figurative
Adjective
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Perhaps that could work if the film were operating in a more obviously metaphorical or surreal register.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
18 May 2026
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Yes—putting metaphorical pen to page is fundamental, but so, too, is nurturing that which expands my literary capacity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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The number distilled the North Beach revue (which closed New Year’s Eve 2019) famous for its oversized figural hats, musical parodies and fairy-tale characters into 11.5 minutes.—
Culture Critic,
San Francisco Chronicle,
13 Mar. 2026
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The holders come in a set of two, adorned with figural bunnies.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The summit did not happen, with Aoun saying a security deal needed to be in place and Israeli attacks needed to end before such a landmark symbolic meeting.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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Advocates and some council members have expressed concerns that the new rules may be symbolic and unenforceable.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figurative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figurative. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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