as in representative
something (such as a place or an event) that is seen as a small version of something much larger
The village is a microcosm of the whole country. The game was a microcosm of the entire season.
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Recent Examples of microcosm
The sixth inning was a microcosm of those struggles at their worst.
—
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026
Stankoven’s line is a microcosm of Carolina’s depth advantage, an overwhelming collection of talent that is miles ahead of what most teams can muster in that spot.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Its voting age population is 42% Black, 30% white and 23% Hispanic, a microcosm of the county.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 May 2026
CEOs, bank presidents, art collectors, Hollywood studio heads, rock stars, restaurateurs—the perimeter around the action is often a microcosm of Manhattan power.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for microcosm
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 31 May 2026
Stankoven’s line is a microcosm of Carolina’s depth advantage, an overwhelming collection of talent that is miles ahead of what most teams can muster in that spot.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Its voting age population is 42% Black, 30% white and 23% Hispanic, a microcosm of the county.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 May 2026
CEOs, bank presidents, art collectors, Hollywood studio heads, rock stars, restaurateurs—the perimeter around the action is often a microcosm of Manhattan power.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for microcosm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for microcosm
Noun
-
An email to representatives for Affinity Gaming was not immediately returned.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
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According to the petition documents, Jackson had initially been assured by Reiner’s siblings, Jake and Romy, and a family representative that his fees would be paid by the family.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Comparing Wemby to all-time greats may be premature given the limited sample size.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Nonbiological samples were usually sparser – that is, more strongly dominated by simple molecules.—
Gideon Yoffe,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Noun
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There are two dogs, for example, in Bartholomeus van Bassen’s painting of an imagined church interior with the tomb of William the Silent (pictured above, 1620).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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The 1961 legislation establishing the Seashore saved the land from development and gave the public a pristine example of what the popular peninsula looked like before the Pilgrims arrived in Provincetown and before the birth of the nation.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Microcosm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/microcosm. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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