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allegory

noun

ˈa-lə-ˌgȯr-ē How to pronounce allegory (audio)
Definition of allegorynext
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

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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 As with all Coppola films, the film’s allegory is rooted in a deeper sense of the history of power, capitalism, and the American experiment. — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026 That story can be read as an allegory for how our memories and imaginations work as readers. — Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 This Pulitzer-winning neo-slave narrative reimagines the Underground Railroad as a real subterranean network, in a Sisyphean allegory that illustrates the relentless metamorphoses of white supremacy and Black resistance. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 July 2026 Hawthorne’s tale is not just an allegory of the Revolution. — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for allegory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allegory
  1. parable
  2. fable
  3. tale
Noun
  • As nightmare thought experiments shape the fight over how to govern a multitrillion-dollar industry, some experts say the parables may lead decision-makers astray.
    — Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Then Jesus appears and leads them through a joyful summer day of parables and prayer, in a New York City otherwise devoid of people.
    — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of parable
Noun
  • Is the morality fable at the end an allegory of purgatory or hell?
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Is Ancestors, the directorial feature debut of The Lodgers and The Winter Lake writer David Turpin, a love story, a noir mystery or a metaphysical fable?
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of fable
Noun
  • Like Primetime, this survival tale about a Special Forces veteran and his combat dog who are stranded in the Alaskan wilderness, sells itself upon viewing.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Either way, The Ministry is a perfectly decent action movie based on the real-life tale of a group of World War II commandos on a covert submarine-sabotage mission.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of tale

Browse Nearby Words

allegories
allegory
allegro
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Cite this Entry

“Allegory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allegory. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on allegory

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about allegory

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