SYMBOLICAL Synonyms: 13 Similar and Opposite Words

symbolic

adjective

sim-ˈbä-lik

variants also symbolical

Definition of symbolic

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

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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 symbolic Ghesquière also explained that the set of flying cars was a symbolic way of expressing how everyone is trying to navigate today’s chaos and find the best way forward. — Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 Even Affection had a symbolic shot at the end involving a river. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 That appeared to be a mostly symbolic vote because county rules would obligate a mayor to seek permission for contracts above $1 million, anyway. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 During its first sitting, the 83-seat legislature elected Tobias Rausch from AfD as its speaker, a job that traditionally goes to the largest party and was considered an initial symbolic victory. — Kirsten Grieshaber, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for symbolic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for symbolic

Adjective

The pilot should highlight your company’s path to success, either by benefiting a representative target customer type or by showing that delivery can be perfected for efficiency or scale.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
The broader testing program is intended to evaluate the vehicles and their operating approach under increasingly representative conditions.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of representative

Adjective

This literally cataclysmic[6] event was preceded by algebraic computations that were never just representational, as might be more the case for geometry, but were from the outset proactive.

— Artforum, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026
The reflex to regard America’s earlier representational and nationalist traditions as something to be repudiated, rather than reconsidered, is learned — not inevitable.

— Frank Porcu, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of representational

Adjective

The rise of The Ticking Tent is emblematic of a shift in how consumers want to shop and how brands — especially in the interiors space — are seeking events that transcend the traditional trade scene.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
The killing of Yagi is emblematic of a decades-long issue for the people of Okinawa, gender and peace professor Kozue Akibayashi told Al Jazeera.

— Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of emblematic

Browse Nearby Words

symboled

symbolic

symboling

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“Symbolic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/symbolic. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of symbolic

adjective

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