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.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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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.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The collection spans centuries of storytelling in multiple genres, from migratory fairytales with kings and princesses to legends of ghosts and the Devil to fables with talking animals.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
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The Syfy-channel TV show Channel Zero uses some of the best known of these fables as fodder for serialized storytelling.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
Noun
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The first book was published the same year as Serial debuted, kicking off our burgeoning obsession with true crime and our tendency to romanticize the male perpetrators while often homogenizing their overwhelmingly female victims into cautionary tales.—
Scarlett Harris,
Time,
11 June 2026
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Set in Mexico in the late 1800s, the story centers on Francisca, a gifted writer of dark tales and fantastical characters.—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Allegories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allegories. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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