catachresis

Definition of catachresisnext

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catachresis
Noun
  • Salazar-Thompson’s witty script — packed with hilarious metaphors and similes (like comparing a woman’s firm grip on her purse to that of a two-toed sloth on a branch) — make for a consistently amusing trip back in time.
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Along with another allusion to his quip about Lucien’s death, that simile establishes the Anglo-Irish author as a terrifying counter-example of homosexual exposure.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • When Oklahoma missed out on the NCAA Tournament, AD Roger Denny announced that coach Porter Moser was staying and offered up one of the great euphemisms of this era.
    Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Now there were no euphemisms for Germany’s leader.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Middle managers is another analogy that comes up often.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
  • As Trump fumbles with the Pandora’s Box he’s broken open, there’s no shortage of historical analogies to choose from.
    Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • But in terms of its actual content, the statement was pretty thin gruel, bristling with public relations-style circumlocution and vagueness.
    Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Here, instead, she’s swayed by a dead Diana softly squeezing her hand and kindly hinting — the dead Diana is an ace at tactful circumlocution — that now is the time to show a mourning nation some emotion.
    Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023
Noun
  • Cats, however, may turn out to be the canaries in the coalmines — pardon the mixed metaphor.
    Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 24 Dec. 2024
  • The triple-mixed metaphor says it all: Licht & Co. are struggling with the intractable problem of how to square the CNN brand’s promise — straight news — with the entertainment imperatives of nighttime television.
    Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2022
Noun
  • Different industries use various code words, shorthand, and lingo to communicate.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Some of his code words, moreover, have wider currency in the administration.
    Andreas Kluth, Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Each winner received a token, another metaphor.
    Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Metaphorical thinking enhances learning by linking new concepts to familiar patterns, fostering creative problem-solving among non-experts, and aiding memory retention through vivid imagery, while expanding one's metaphor store through diverse topics can boost creativity in specialized fields.
    Big Think, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Catachresis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catachresis. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster