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"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of metaphoric
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
Presented with an opportunity to finally confess his feelings to Nikki, our man screws the metaphorical pooch.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2026
Being on house arrest in the most recent installment, the murderous mom of two takes a break from putting on this metaphorical mask, allowing her vulnerability to show.
—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
11 June 2026
McDougall draws a metaphorical line that runs from these dancers to the hip-hop dancers of the latter part of the century, making up new moves on street corners and in clubs, expanding the form’s range and complexity.
—
Marina Harss,
New Yorker,
3 June 2026
Every time an underperforming manager missed a deadline or botched a client presentation, Marcus would swoop in, grab the metaphorical hose and put out the fire himself.
—
Janine Schindler,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Nonetheless, Leeds will arrive at the London Stadium this weekend already on the metaphorical beach.
—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Bathrooms, stocked with Diptyque amenities, are done up in either Klein blue or blush-pink tiles and feature Hollywood-style mirrors that play up the idea that the metaphorical stage can be yours, too.
—
Lindsey Tramuta,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
At the White House’s metaphorical gunpoint, Venezuela is again growing its oil industry.
—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Aarushi Bhandari,
The Conversation,
19 June 2026
Presented with an opportunity to finally confess his feelings to Nikki, our man screws the metaphorical pooch.
—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
14 June 2026
Being on house arrest in the most recent installment, the murderous mom of two takes a break from putting on this metaphorical mask, allowing her vulnerability to show.
—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
11 June 2026
McDougall draws a metaphorical line that runs from these dancers to the hip-hop dancers of the latter part of the century, making up new moves on street corners and in clubs, expanding the form’s range and complexity.
—
Marina Harss,
New Yorker,
3 June 2026
Every time an underperforming manager missed a deadline or botched a client presentation, Marcus would swoop in, grab the metaphorical hose and put out the fire himself.
—
Janine Schindler,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Nonetheless, Leeds will arrive at the London Stadium this weekend already on the metaphorical beach.
—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Bathrooms, stocked with Diptyque amenities, are done up in either Klein blue or blush-pink tiles and feature Hollywood-style mirrors that play up the idea that the metaphorical stage can be yours, too.
—
Lindsey Tramuta,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
At the White House’s metaphorical gunpoint, Venezuela is again growing its oil industry.
—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metaphoric
Adjective
-
The Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 8 laptop shows up ready to work, with a snappy Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, a generous 32GB of RAM, and a spacious 2TB SSD in its (figurative) briefcase.
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The figurative scales of justice are totally out of whack now.
Adjective
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The number distilled the North Beach revue (which closed New Year’s Eve 2019) famous for its oversized figural hats, musical parodies and fairy-tale characters into 11.5 minutes.
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The holders come in a set of two, adorned with figural bunnies.
Adjective
-
The Cockroach Janta Party has also encouraged demonstrators to bring different symbolic props to the site each day.
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The vote was largely symbolic but appeared to mollify the president, who earlier in the day canceled a ceremonial signing of a bipartisan housing bill to exert pressure on the Senate to pass an unrelated election law bill.
Cite this Entry
“Metaphoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/metaphoric. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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