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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of symbolic
The American Academy of Pediatrics issuing its own vaccine guidance is not just symbolic.
—
Jason Willick, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Government announcements about closing notorious detention centers such as El Helicoide and La Tumba have been framed as symbolic breaks with the past.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026
Cape Town is a symbolic place for the designer Thebe Magugu.
—Amy Verner, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
The victory is largely symbolic as the Texas state Senate will not convene until January 2027.
—Diana Paulsen, ABC News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for symbolic
Jason Willick, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Government announcements about closing notorious detention centers such as El Helicoide and La Tumba have been framed as symbolic breaks with the past.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026
Cape Town is a symbolic place for the designer Thebe Magugu.
—Amy Verner, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2026
The victory is largely symbolic as the Texas state Senate will not convene until January 2027.
—Diana Paulsen, ABC News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for symbolic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for symbolic
Adjective
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Elsewhere, the performance has been two-pronged, with Asia and the Middle East proving a boon for bigger players but less representative and underexplored for SMEs.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
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While al-Sharaa has vowed to build a more unified and representative Syria, his rule has struggled with deep divisions and deadly sectarian clashes across the country.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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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
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Measurements of representational similarity invariably involve a host of experimental choices that can affect the outcome.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The little animals that will come to be emblematic of the 2026 Games are stoats, extremely cute critters that in real life are related to the weasel and the otter.—
Mark Scaglione,
NBC news,
3 Feb. 2026
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If previous protests had been specific to United, the widespread unrest that broke out in spring 2021 was emblematic of a wider rage sweeping across English football.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Symbolic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/symbolic. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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