metaphorically

adverb

Definition of metaphoricallynext
as in loosely

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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 metaphorically Teixeira loves to travel, literally and metaphorically. — John Hopewell, Variety, 11 June 2026 That guy needs to know how to pick his battles, metaphorically and literally. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 19 May 2026 Celebrated across continents with major retrospectives and solo shows and based in Paris since 1973, Italian photographer Paolo Roversi is finally headed back home — metaphorically, with the unveiling of a permanent gallery in his hometown of Ravenna. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 15 May 2026 MacKinnon’s seventh goal of the playoffs left Wild head coach John Hynes metaphorically shrugging his shoulders at the precision of a player who led the NHL with 53 goals in the regular season. — Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for metaphorically
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metaphorically
  1. loosely
  2. carelessly
  3. inaccurately
  4. freely
Adverb
  • Mortgage rates loosely track the 10-year Treasury yield, a key measure of investors’ inflation expectations.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • Fanning went with two silky, pajamaesque pieces that both hung loosely off her body.
    — Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 28 July 2026
Definition of loosely
Adverb
  • The Dirties includes a scene where Johnson’s out-of-touch high-school character is in blackface, while the Nirvanna web series has bits that carelessly chase juvenile provocation, including stray uses of racial accents and slurs.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 July 2026
  • Flying an unmanned aircraft system carelessly or recklessly, interfering with a first responder operation, is also a misdemeanor under state law and San Diego municipal code.
    — Sydney Brammer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of carelessly
Adverb
  • This discrepancy means standard evaluations may inaccurately portray an AI's safety and efficacy.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • The designation, therefore, is inaccurately applied to the empire before the time of the Hohenstaufen.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
Definition of inaccurately
Adverb
  • Videos on Iranian social media showed many women at the cafes flouting mandatory veiling laws, and crowds mixing freely.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • That is considerably easier from an AI-training perspective than allowing autonomous trucks to travel freely through ordinary cities or mixed public traffic.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of freely

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metaphoric
metaphorically
metaphors
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Cite this Entry

“Metaphorically.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/metaphorically. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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