variants
or metaphorical
as in figurative
expressing one thing in terms normally used for another
an author fond of such metaphorical phrases as "the desert was a fiery furnace"
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Recent Examples of metaphoric
Yet if Love’s last pass had stayed in the air a tick longer, the owner’s feet, at least in a metaphorical sense, may not have touched the ground for a long, long time.
—
Michael Silver, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Each of the three biographies—any good biography—vibrates with the intensity of its author’s possession by their subject and the thrill of exhumation, if only metaphoric.
—Megan Marshall
september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
The painting becomes a metaphorical screen against which the play can project its critique of taste as a signifier of identity, virtue, and power.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
That idea gets its metaphoric workout throughout the movie, but the script doesn’t really complicate it, and mere escalation leads to diminishing returns.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
The Parisians thrashed Inter Milan in May to claim the trophy for the first time and lift a huge metaphorical burden off their back.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The state in which those complexities played out — the course of the metaphorical river — had shifted.
—Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
The process of securing the proper locations for a project is a metaphorical game of 3D chess in which the artistic vision of its creative team wages a strategic battle with logistical necessities and economic realities.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
In addition to his trio of Primetime Emmys, Obama's already substantial metaphorical trophy shelf includes two Children's and Family Emmy gongs, two Grammy awards, and a Nobel Peace Prize.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Michael Silver, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Each of the three biographies—any good biography—vibrates with the intensity of its author’s possession by their subject and the thrill of exhumation, if only metaphoric.
—Megan Marshall
september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
The painting becomes a metaphorical screen against which the play can project its critique of taste as a signifier of identity, virtue, and power.
—Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
That idea gets its metaphoric workout throughout the movie, but the script doesn’t really complicate it, and mere escalation leads to diminishing returns.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
The Parisians thrashed Inter Milan in May to claim the trophy for the first time and lift a huge metaphorical burden off their back.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The state in which those complexities played out — the course of the metaphorical river — had shifted.
—Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
The process of securing the proper locations for a project is a metaphorical game of 3D chess in which the artistic vision of its creative team wages a strategic battle with logistical necessities and economic realities.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
In addition to his trio of Primetime Emmys, Obama's already substantial metaphorical trophy shelf includes two Children's and Family Emmy gongs, two Grammy awards, and a Nobel Peace Prize.
—Daniel Orton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metaphoric
Adjective
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And when figurative financial belts are tightened, nonessential goods like snacks oftentimes land on the chopping block (which, in turn, could lead to literal belt-tightening).—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
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His instincts anticipated the figurative starter’s pistol.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
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As we are never returned to any figural baseline, our eyes are increasingly ungrounded.—
Jan Tumlir,
Artforum,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Metaphoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/metaphoric. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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