as in parables
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 allegories
There are allegories that can be read about fear of the unknown breeding cruelty and exploitation, but Disclosure Day is first and foremost a propulsive yarn with thematic roots in hope, truth, empathy and perhaps even spirituality.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
Sci-fi stories about alien invasions have often functioned as political allegories for anxieties around empire and immigration, Lechuga says.
—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
But if these movies are progressive allegories of beings transcending their differences, then Hoppers is a surprisingly blunt pushback to that notion.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Chandran’s reference to allegories suggests the adaptation is leaning into the arc’s political dimensions — the civil war, the manipulation of a nation by a Warlord of the Sea, and the cost of leadership.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
These are tales of misplacement and metamorphosis — humans as beasts, beasts as allegories.
—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
His canvases are populated by allegories.
—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
In these allegories of dehumanization, greed, and hope, Marshall takes an unvarnished view of his subjects, one that doesn’t sugarcoat the past or succumb to nostalgia for a mythical, precolonial Golden Age.
—
James Meyer,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Part of a long tradition of both David and Goliath adaptations and illustrated renditions of Judeo-Christian allegories, the new musical drama is Angel Studio’s latest take on the iconic underdog story and a wholesome way to spend your afternoon.
—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
22 Dec. 2025
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2026
Sci-fi stories about alien invasions have often functioned as political allegories for anxieties around empire and immigration, Lechuga says.
—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
But if these movies are progressive allegories of beings transcending their differences, then Hoppers is a surprisingly blunt pushback to that notion.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Chandran’s reference to allegories suggests the adaptation is leaning into the arc’s political dimensions — the civil war, the manipulation of a nation by a Warlord of the Sea, and the cost of leadership.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
These are tales of misplacement and metamorphosis — humans as beasts, beasts as allegories.
—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
His canvases are populated by allegories.
—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
In these allegories of dehumanization, greed, and hope, Marshall takes an unvarnished view of his subjects, one that doesn’t sugarcoat the past or succumb to nostalgia for a mythical, precolonial Golden Age.
—
James Meyer,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Part of a long tradition of both David and Goliath adaptations and illustrated renditions of Judeo-Christian allegories, the new musical drama is Angel Studio’s latest take on the iconic underdog story and a wholesome way to spend your afternoon.
—
Elaina Patton,
IndieWire,
22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allegories
Noun
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Apparently all mothers, even surrogate mothers, were alike, but at least Adele no longer had to fear monitory parables from her real mother.
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On Sundays, O’Neal’s father preached hope from the pulpit, stories of his family intertwined with morals and truths and parables.
Noun
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Explore the Wild West from the back of a rickety wagon as characters share famed fables about Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Hekeke.
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My dad’s stories about his grade-school experience felt like dark fables, peppered with slurs hurled at him by classmates.
Noun
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Daily tales of war and violence around the world made one want to clench one’s fists, grit one’s teeth, and to shout out in a paean of outraged hysteria.
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Hopefully, these three will be among the final cautionary tales of poor draft decisions.
Cite this Entry
“Allegories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allegories. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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