variants
also symbolical
as in representative
having the function or meaning of an object or figure that stands for something else
the butterfly in the poem is symbolic of the impermanence of youth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of symbolic
Ikome viewed the pope’s visit as symbolic, noting that Biya had invested in significant infrastructure projects in Bamenda, including renovating its airport, in preparation for the visit, which could be positive for local residents.
—
Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
How Bruce Dominates Feeding Time Bruce’s dominance wasn’t just symbolic.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Sound symbolic tendencies are also not necessarily consistent within a single language’s vocabulary (and, in fact, English is not as iconic a language as, say, Japanese).
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
The job is mostly symbolic unless disaster strikes.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for symbolic
Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
How Bruce Dominates Feeding Time Bruce’s dominance wasn’t just symbolic.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Sound symbolic tendencies are also not necessarily consistent within a single language’s vocabulary (and, in fact, English is not as iconic a language as, say, Japanese).
—Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
The job is mostly symbolic unless disaster strikes.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for symbolic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for symbolic
Adjective
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Drive up the coast and enjoy this outpost of the Getty Museum, where the views of the Pacific are showstopping, and the Italian villa is so perfectly representative of California decadence.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Apr. 2026
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Not to replace representative government, but to inform it more honestly.—
Brett Wilson,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Her own work moves between evocative and representational — but there’s always a thread.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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That was on show for this goal against Barrow in November, which is emblematic of Bromley’s style.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Inspired from gas pipes, the Tubogas collection is emblematic of Bulgari’s savoir-faire.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Symbolic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/symbolic. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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