metaphoric

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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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 metaphoric Problem spaces are the metaphorical regions that our minds have to navigate to get from a problem to a solution. Chris Borland, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Here, your guide to the metaphorical — and literal — cream of the crop for fall, coming in ranging intensities and fruity and dessert-like varieties. Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026 Manuel spoke with Variety about how the film relates to the colonial past of the country, and the metaphorical symbolism of the golf course. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026 Though it is imbued with metaphorical and historical significance, Olivier also sculpted this work with the physical needs of city dwellers in mind. Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Lush layers of melody and instrumentation submerges the listener in both metaphoric thought and shifting moods. Lina Lecaro, SPIN, 18 Aug. 2026 These forces could be imagined as two beings and, by metaphoric extension, as male and female. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 With the metaphorical jet fumes already swirling on Capitol Hill, some are at least threatening to potentially put their colleagues on the record for or against adjourning until September. Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026 The monsters are mostly metaphorical in this book, but the middle school emotions are vividly real. Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metaphoric
Adjective
  • 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
  • The chaotic, violence-laden sequence is but the first of many in a film that aspires to classic Hollywood action movie status but reduces its effectiveness through overkill of both the literal and figurative kind.
    Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Bernard, the fabricator of phrases, is the book’s second devotee of metaphor, therefore also the first to beguile the others with the potential and pitfalls of figural language.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
  • From figural bakers to upgraded pans, the new collection takes fall baking to a whole other level.
    Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Kardashian isn’t the first high-profile star in recent history to ask a court for a symbolic payout.
    Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The vote ended in a 220 to 204 tally, marking a symbolic rebuke of the president over the largely unpopular war.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Metaphoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/metaphoric. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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