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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Passover is not about a historical event but about a metaphoric explication of an ideal.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
To his wife, Szilvi, the evening’s results had reaffirmed a truth less geographic than metaphoric.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
His third-episode self-therapy session is a physical comedian’s dream come true, in which the three-time Emmy nominee for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series triumphantly dusts off the (metaphorical) clown costume that was almost too convincing for the actor’s good.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
In the United States, golden statuary is rare and usually metaphoric — the Oregon Pioneer, the Golden Driller, the Spirit of Communication.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Firms acted like the metaphorical kid in a candy store with talent, grabbing every shiny new candidate that crossed their applicant tracking system, with some, like Amazon, even doubling their headcount between 2019 and 2021.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
There is, however, another trait worth mentioning, one perhaps even more foundational to the literal and metaphorical heights of professional rock climbing.
—Namir Khaliq, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
But the Passover Seder also commences the 50-day historical journey to Mount Sinai, the metaphorical site where the Jewish people received the Torah, the laws and traditions that gave shape to their journey, their culture and societal structure.
—Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
In the first half, the house is haunted in a metaphorical sense.
—William Earl, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
To his wife, Szilvi, the evening’s results had reaffirmed a truth less geographic than metaphoric.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
His third-episode self-therapy session is a physical comedian’s dream come true, in which the three-time Emmy nominee for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series triumphantly dusts off the (metaphorical) clown costume that was almost too convincing for the actor’s good.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
In the United States, golden statuary is rare and usually metaphoric — the Oregon Pioneer, the Golden Driller, the Spirit of Communication.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Firms acted like the metaphorical kid in a candy store with talent, grabbing every shiny new candidate that crossed their applicant tracking system, with some, like Amazon, even doubling their headcount between 2019 and 2021.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
There is, however, another trait worth mentioning, one perhaps even more foundational to the literal and metaphorical heights of professional rock climbing.
—Namir Khaliq, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
But the Passover Seder also commences the 50-day historical journey to Mount Sinai, the metaphorical site where the Jewish people received the Torah, the laws and traditions that gave shape to their journey, their culture and societal structure.
—Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
In the first half, the house is haunted in a metaphorical sense.
—William Earl, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metaphoric
Adjective
-
Charleston, alongside Felix, writes in a Black diasporic tradition that uses the abstract and figurative to name, address, and illuminate the materiality of Black life in the wake of chattel slavery.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The McCarthyist Red Scare recast the socially conscious and figurative art of the 1930s in the light of Soviet socialist realism.—
John P. Murphy,
ARTnews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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.—
Culture Critic,
San Francisco Chronicle,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The holders come in a set of two, adorned with figural bunnies.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As was the case with the white-and-green dress for her Pakistan tour, Elizabeth, in her fashion choices, sought not only to avoid giving offense but to offer symbolic ingratiation, and among the most fascinating garments on display are those representing diplomatic dressing.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
For many young Indian women, the change also carries symbolic weight.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Metaphoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/metaphoric. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
