1
as in subtropical
being near the equator
wanted to escape winter and visit some tropical location where freezing to death would not be a possibility
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2
as in metaphoric
expressing one thing in terms normally used for another
an author given to high-flown tropical phrasings and convoluted symbology
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tropical
Read on for tropical (and tropical-style) vacation ideas to inspire your next mother-daughter getaway.
—
Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 13 Jan. 2026
Friday, July 30, Chicken and Pickle Sandwich with whole grain bun, wedge potatoes, beans, tropical fruit and milk.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
At a research station in Athens, the scientists raised monarchs with two different species of milkweed — Asclepias incarnata, or swamp milkweed, and Asclepias curassavica, a tropical variety.
—Drew Kann, AJC.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The country, which stretches from the Caribbean coast into the northern Andes, is already highly exposed to oil pollution and ranks among tropical countries with the fastest deforestation rates, according to Global Forest Watch, an online monitoring platform hosted by the World Resources Institute.
—Steven Grattan, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tropical
Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 13 Jan. 2026
Friday, July 30, Chicken and Pickle Sandwich with whole grain bun, wedge potatoes, beans, tropical fruit and milk.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
At a research station in Athens, the scientists raised monarchs with two different species of milkweed — Asclepias incarnata, or swamp milkweed, and Asclepias curassavica, a tropical variety.
—Drew Kann, AJC.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The country, which stretches from the Caribbean coast into the northern Andes, is already highly exposed to oil pollution and ranks among tropical countries with the fastest deforestation rates, according to Global Forest Watch, an online monitoring platform hosted by the World Resources Institute.
—Steven Grattan, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tropical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tropical
Adjective
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Best Time to Visit The city of Macon has a humid subtropical climate, so temperatures vary based on the time of year.—
Caroline Eubanks,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
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Those snakes went on to reproduce and thrive in South Florida’s subtropical climate, decimating some ecosystems.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The tides—both the literal and the metaphorical ones within us—become more palpable.—
Danijela Pilic,
Glamour,
3 Jan. 2026
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But both Yemi and her bodyguard/fiancée Ennova Grey fear that the princess may never be able to swim back to the surface from Ursla’s literal and metaphorical darkness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The data center industry does not have a terribly good answer for this, except that their 83° sun-synchronous orbit is much less crowded than equatorial ones, meaning a lower risk of collisions.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
7 Jan. 2026
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The strength of jet streams is controlled by the temperature contrast between the equatorial and polar regions.—
Shuang-Ye Wu,
The Conversation,
15 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The Aztecs, though, somehow maintained their footing in the figurative sense Tuesday and didn’t fall.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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Andrzejek thinks the Gophers (7-5) will punch above their figurative weight.—
Tris Wykes,
Twin Cities,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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However, giving in to January’s grayness — both literal and figural — is not the only option.—
Morayo Ogunbayo,
AJC.com,
1 Jan. 2026
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The figural birds are crafted in platinum and 18-karat gold with gemstones — appearing to perch upon the wearer.—
Thomas Waller,
Footwear News,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Back when Petro was a guerrilla, the M-19 carried out a symbolic operation to steal a sword that once belonged to the nineteenth-century liberator Simón Bolívar.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
15 Jan. 2026
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The challenge for Washington lies in avoiding the false choice between regime change by force, with unforeseen consequences, and spectacular but cynically symbolic action.—
Ali Vaez,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tropical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tropical. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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