1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

effigy

noun

Definition of effigynext
as in portrait
a depiction of a person

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 effigy For 15 days, devotees pray and make offerings before a towering paper-and-bamboo effigy of Da Shi Ye. — ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 Four statues are still to come, set to add to the 14 bronzed effigies in 12 counties — often matching the historical figure’s name to the eponymous county. — Liv Caputo Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026 That is what happens when a society burns effigies long enough; eventually, somebody mistakes a person for one. — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 In a scene where the suffragists burn an effigy of President Wilson, Natalio amplifies the turbulent tone with intense movement from the ensemble. — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for effigy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effigy
  1. portrait
  2. portrayal
  3. image
  4. replica
  5. carbon
  6. likeness
Noun
  • Over his shoulder was an enormous portrait of the hatchet-wielding temperance crusader Carrie Nation, an icon of resistance to the excesses of the first Gilded Age, when similar discontent had roiled the prairies.
    — Kyle Paoletta, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Combs idolized his father, Melvin, wearing his portrait on a medallion around his neck; Christian treats his father with the same reverence.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of portrait
Noun
  • As Jeremy Strong delivers his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg, Aaron Sorkin has shed some light on the method actor’s process for this role.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The movie is earning attention at film festivals for its portrayal of the condition.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of portrayal
Noun
  • Some are painted with a stuttering distortion, like a computer image that’s failed to fully download.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • In particular, the image of the sickly, slumbering child recurs throughout Marcon’s work.
    — Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of image
Noun
  • At the heart of the property sits Ruinas del Mar, a seafood restaurant designed to look like a replica of Aruba's Bushiribana gold mine ruins.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The South Side team even had a theme night in August dedicated to the Pope, where fans at Rate Field were given replica papal-style hats featuring the Sox logo in a game against the Cincinnati Reds.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of replica
Noun
  • Air travel accounts for roughly 20% of the entire global tourism carbon footprint, and one of the aviation industry’s best levers for reducing carbon emissions is the use of SAF.
    — CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The power sector is the second-largest contributor of carbon emissions.
    — Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of carbon
Noun
  • Naturally, living individuals portrayed in movies and on TV will have opinions on characters who take their likeness.
    — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
  • In 2015, the courts finally decided that the NCAA could not require students to maintain their amateur status by refusing payment for use of their name, image and likeness.
    — Sen. Rand Paul OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of likeness

Browse Nearby Words

effigies
effigy
effloresce
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Effigy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effigy. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on effigy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about effigy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of bellwether

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All