as in parable
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of allegory
Coogler’s Jim Crow-era film — the rare horror movie to win the academy’s favor — conjures a mythical allegory of Black life.
—
Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Via a sly, clever and potent allegory, the English singer-songwriter, who is trans, depicts the world of a vibrant but vilified cryptid community that finally rises up in the face of prejudice — not to attack, but simply to exist.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2026
His canvases are populated by allegories.
—Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Sirāt‘s central themes are deeply rooted in both metaphysical allegory and contemporary societal critique.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allegory
Jake Coyle, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Via a sly, clever and potent allegory, the English singer-songwriter, who is trans, depicts the world of a vibrant but vilified cryptid community that finally rises up in the face of prejudice — not to attack, but simply to exist.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 16 Jan. 2026
His canvases are populated by allegories.
—Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Sirāt‘s central themes are deeply rooted in both metaphysical allegory and contemporary societal critique.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allegory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allegory
Noun
-
Plato’s prescient understanding of ICE agents arose during a discussion of the parable of the Ring of Gyges.—
Paul Rosenzweig,
Washington Post,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Faustian parables unlock more interesting connotations when considered not in terms of politics, but of art.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That was a fine choice, in drawing sharp contrasts for a fable about how unchoosy the Almighty can be in picking his prime vessels.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The performance felt both virtuosic and repulsive, a goulash of hype, sloganeering, and calls to violence spiked with in-jokes, shaggy-dog anecdotes, and populist fables, all of it seductive and—in our dangerous era—familiar.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The tale involves a man who attempts to murder his wife while the two are out hiking on a mountain.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Yet, the saga remains a cautionary tale for Democrats about what can happen if too many of their candidates bunch up on the ballot under the top-two election system.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Allegory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allegory. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
