as in figurative
expressing one thing in terms normally used for another
"a candidate running for office" is just a figural expression
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Recent Examples of figural
The Temple also had early medieval ancestors called figural or figured poems.
—
V.m. Braganza, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2023
Along with Claes Oldenburg and Ed Kienholz, Segal (1924-2000) was one of the principal figures to revitalize figural realism in the second half of the 20th century.
—John Wilmerding, WSJ, 3 Feb. 2023
There's something majestic about abstract or figural stained glass, which lets light in and offers privacy as well as colorful expression.
—Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 10 Jan. 2023
The back rest is decorated with a lion flanked by figural finials and the curved frame possesses oak leaves.
—Rodney Ho, ajc, 18 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for figural
V.m. Braganza, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2023
Along with Claes Oldenburg and Ed Kienholz, Segal (1924-2000) was one of the principal figures to revitalize figural realism in the second half of the 20th century.
—John Wilmerding, WSJ, 3 Feb. 2023
There's something majestic about abstract or figural stained glass, which lets light in and offers privacy as well as colorful expression.
—Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 10 Jan. 2023
The back rest is decorated with a lion flanked by figural finials and the curved frame possesses oak leaves.
—Rodney Ho, ajc, 18 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for figural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figural
Adjective
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The Imperial Irrigation District, which provides water to farmers in the southeastern corner of California, drew a figurative line in the sand earlier this month, calling for a halt to the conversion of agricultural fields into solar panel farms.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
17 July 2025
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Our 2008 rudimentary data analytics revealed these anomalies, a figurative abacus compared to the sophisticated analytics technology OIGs and federal staff have nowadays.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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There's a gallery wall with pieces that are symbolic of some sort of lyric.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
19 July 2025
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In December 1950, four Scottish college students snatched the stone from Westminster Abbey as a symbolic show of support for Scottish independence.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Figural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figural. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
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