Definition of tropicalnext
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

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 tropical The story follows a group of young schoolboys who, after a deadly plane crash, become stranded on a tropical island with no adults and have to fend for themselves. Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 4 Mar. 2026 Boasting a new mystery, a new supporting cast and a new location, Season 3 will move to tropical Far North Queensland. John Hopewell, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026 The family live in the temperate coastal city of Newcastle, which is 1,200 miles south of Australia's crocodile habitat in the tropical north. CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026 The sweet and tart Key lime glaze doubles the tropical flavor. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tropical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tropical
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the lagging cutoff low to our west will establish an extended plume of moisture from the eastern Pacific into Texas, with the subtropical jet providing opportunities for spokes of energy to rotate around the cutoff low and track over the state.
    Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026
  • The team identified a region in the banana genome that controls resistance to a strain of Fusarium wilt called Sub Tropical Race 4 (STR4), which affects bananas in subtropical regions.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The potential metaphoric referents here quickly become clear, and are likely to vary by the viewer.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
  • But at the same time, in the metaphorical sense, strong backbone.
    Mo Rocca, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Don’t worry about choosing between alt-azimuth (Alt-Az) and equatorial (EQ) mounts; since the moon is easy to find and track, the simplest manual mount will work well for eclipse viewing.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
  • This weakening warms the usually cooler central and eastern sides of the ocean, altering rainfall over the equatorial Pacific and wind patterns around the world.
    CBS News, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Harrison Bader put a figurative dent into a baseball.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Literal and figurative pain points included ensuring each piece properly conducting electricity, rigging every square with mechanical keyboard switches to facilitate the connections, and countless unintentional jolts.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • However, giving in to January’s grayness — both literal and figural — is not the only option.
    Morayo Ogunbayo, AJC.com, 1 Jan. 2026
  • 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
  • Canadians’ absence in Las Vegas is symbolic of the United States’ fractured relationship with its neighbor and the ripple effects of unwinding ties between the two countries.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
  • The exhibit shows how women have been represented in ceramics, sculpture and symbolic imagery across ancient Mesoamerican cultures and connects the traditions to the lives of powerful women throughout Latin American history.
    Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tropical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tropical. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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