as in symbolic
having the function or meaning of an object or figure that stands for something else
a computer program with representational icons for different functions
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Recent Examples of representational
Her own work moves between evocative and representational — but there’s always a thread.
—
The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
This means that representational alignment may be a solvable problem and a step toward addressing broader alignment challenges.
—Arryn Robbins, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2026
Included are a variety of abstract, representational, landscapes, seascapes and whimsical pieces, some of which have a specific meaning, McCabe said.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The piece is entirely presentational, with minimal representational actions taking place between the brothers.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
But the sight of a Jew excelling in sports is even more than a bit of representational inspiration.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
When attention is this constrained, dedicating visual bandwidth to representational cues necessarily displaces something else.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 7 Feb. 2026
As that might lead you to expect, there’s not much to be wildly enthused about here, past the representational plane.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
That paper, like much of the early work on representational similarity, focused only on computer vision, which was then the most popular branch of AI research.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 7 Jan. 2026
The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
This means that representational alignment may be a solvable problem and a step toward addressing broader alignment challenges.
—Arryn Robbins, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2026
Included are a variety of abstract, representational, landscapes, seascapes and whimsical pieces, some of which have a specific meaning, McCabe said.
—Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The piece is entirely presentational, with minimal representational actions taking place between the brothers.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
But the sight of a Jew excelling in sports is even more than a bit of representational inspiration.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 18 Feb. 2026
When attention is this constrained, dedicating visual bandwidth to representational cues necessarily displaces something else.
—Torie Bosch, STAT, 7 Feb. 2026
As that might lead you to expect, there’s not much to be wildly enthused about here, past the representational plane.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
That paper, like much of the early work on representational similarity, focused only on computer vision, which was then the most popular branch of AI research.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for representational
Adjective
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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
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For many young Indian women, the change also carries symbolic weight.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And while political observers, including Kiros herself, say the assembly process isn’t actually representative of who will vote in the June primary, the win still marked a surprising development in a race that many considered to be predetermined.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
9 Apr. 2026
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Noticeable Optimism May Protect the Brain For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 9,000 people who participated in the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample of older American adults.—
Rob Williams,
EverydayHealth.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Representational.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/representational. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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