Synonyms of figurative

figurative

adjective

ˈfi-g(y)ə-rə-tiv 

as in metaphoric

expressing one thing in terms normally used for another

the figurative use of "allergy" to mean "a feeling of dislike"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• metaphoric
• figural
• symbolic
• tropological
• tropical
• extended
• allegorical
• emblematic
• euphemistic
• nonliteral
• veritable
• Aesopian
• catachrestic
• sylleptic

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• literal
• nonfigurative
• nonmetaphorical
• nonsymbolic

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of figurative

Viewers can ponder Dunham’s dramatic stylistic shift from abstract forms to cartoonish figurative images through the exhibition’s 50 career-spanning works. — Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026

Columbus forged a figurative path that Italian and other immigrants still follow to the United States. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026

Co-founded by George Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, the soaring biomorphic structure designed by architect Ma Yansong’s firm MAD displays Lucas’s vast and motley personal collection of figurative art. — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2026

Among the others in the welcoming committee are Diana, Mike’s devoted wife of nearly half a century, John Vincent, his figurative adoptive son, and Kira Novak, Vincent’s companion. — Dan Pompei, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026