symbolic

adjective

sim-ˈbä-lik How to pronounce symbolic (audio)
variants also symbolical
Definition of symbolicnext
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

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 The scale and reach of the operation suggest Ukraine is moving beyond occasional symbolic attacks on Moscow and building a sustained campaign against the infrastructure that supports Russia’s war. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026 Biden and his team had entered office determined to restore at least symbolic American support for the formation of a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank. — David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 This, together with the elegant, homely decor, is symbolic of the kind of singular community this hotel has strived to create. — Jonnie Bayfield, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026 The west is symbolic of death in mythology, but also connected to the land of Elysium, the final resting place for Greek heroes. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for symbolic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for symbolic
  1. representative
  2. representational
  3. emblematic
Adjective
  • When voters are reduced to red and blue dots to be strategically manipulated on maps, our representative democracy is no longer representative nor democratic.
    — Reese Ritter, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • With a representative sample of exoplanets in the galaxy, scientists can more accurately determine if planets like Earth are rare or plentiful.
    — Elijah Tan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026
Definition of representative
Adjective
  • Created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, the show was celebrated for its representational milestones both in front and behind the camera for the entirety of its three season run.
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • The Semiquincentennial Commission was conjured into being by Congress back in 2016, during that long-ago summer when the Democratic Party was convening in Philadelphia and the succession of one form of representational liberalism to another seemed pretty well secure.
    — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Definition of representational
Adjective
  • Recent cases crumble under weight of scrutiny Hurtado-Cariaco’s story appears to be emblematic of a broader pattern – where government accounts of encounters with immigration agents crumble under the weight of later scrutiny.
    — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Taking it further in the ’90s was Gianni Versace, whose liquid gold and silver chain-mail goddess dresses remain emblematic of the era.
    — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 16 July 2026
Definition of emblematic

Browse Nearby Words

symboled
symbolic
symboling
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Cite this Entry

“Symbolic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/symbolic. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on symbolic

Nglish: Translation of symbolic for Spanish Speakers

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