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
However, giving in to January’s grayness — both literal and figural — is not the only option.
—
Morayo Ogunbayo, AJC.com, 1 Jan. 2026
The figural birds are crafted in platinum and 18-karat gold with gemstones — appearing to perch upon the wearer.
—Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2025
As we are never returned to any figural baseline, our eyes are increasingly ungrounded.
—Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2025
Austria, Germany, and Japan became famous for exporting figural bulbs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for figural
Morayo Ogunbayo, AJC.com, 1 Jan. 2026
The figural birds are crafted in platinum and 18-karat gold with gemstones — appearing to perch upon the wearer.
—Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2025
As we are never returned to any figural baseline, our eyes are increasingly ungrounded.
—Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2025
Austria, Germany, and Japan became famous for exporting figural bulbs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for figural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figural
Adjective
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Food can cross borders both literal and figurative, even when people cannot.—
Ashley Rose Young,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 June 2026
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The walls that aren’t subject to preservation are sheathed in vast Claro walnut panels of a sinuous, almost figurative grain.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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Frankenstein’s village When work is the only sturdy pillar in a society where government benefits for low-income people, family ties and community institutions have eroded, tablets replace the metaphorical village – the web of social support that helps families thrive.—
Aarushi Bhandari,
The Conversation,
19 June 2026
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Presented with an opportunity to finally confess his feelings to Nikki, our man screws the metaphorical pooch.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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Excavations uncovered pits with pottery, bones, and a symbolic flint knife, suggesting large ceremonial gatherings.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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The attack’s value is both symbolic and economic, bringing the reality of war home to ordinary Russians through widespread disruption and heaping pressure on the production capacity that powers Moscow’s war efforts.—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Figural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figural. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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