tropical

adjective

ˈträ-pi-kəl How to pronounce tropical (audio)
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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 tropical In footwear, Paris Texas impressed on its official Milan schedule debut, with vibrant color and embellishments inspired by tropical flowers and corals. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026 The new tropical weather adds more risk, said Andrew Mangham, senior service hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. — Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026 The open-air lobby catches the island's ever-present breeze and looks out over all 12 acres of the beachfront property, where bridges cross a freshwater lagoon loaded with koi, cascading waterfalls, and tropical birds. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026 Once again, a significant hurricane is stalling, putting the Big Island in the crosshairs of robust tropical moisture. — Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tropical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tropical
  1. subtropical
  2. metaphoric
  3. equatorial
  4. figurative
  5. figural
  6. symbolic
Adjective
  • The warmer waters often invite tropical and subtropical species.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The virus is most prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, including Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific islands, Latin America and Africa.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of subtropical
Adjective
  • When that metaphorical whale surfaces in Murphy, Texas, the scene is set for a disaster.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Problem spaces are the metaphorical regions that our minds have to navigate to get from a problem to a solution.
    — Chris Borland, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of metaphoric
Adjective
  • Equally unlike seasonal phenomena on Earth, sunlight falls almost directly onto Uranus's equatorial region during the planet's equinoxes.
    — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Beneath the ocean waves, the equatorial Pacific holds a large reservoir of extra heat.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of equatorial
Adjective
  • Viewers can ponder Dunham’s dramatic stylistic shift from abstract forms to cartoonish figurative images through the exhibition’s 50 career-spanning works.
    — Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026
  • These combine interior and exterior figurative imagery from the tropical foliage and vibrant cityscapes around her, but can appear torn and fragmented.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of figurative
Adjective
  • Bernard, the fabricator of phrases, is the book’s second devotee of metaphor, therefore also the first to beguile the others with the potential and pitfalls of figural language.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
  • From figural bakers to upgraded pans, the new collection takes fall baking to a whole other level.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of figural
Adjective
  • Were tactical arrangements sufficient without symbolic signaling, police training would not need to be so heady, their demeanor so heavy.
    — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Carlson’s essay offers a deeper look at the elaborate symbolic language surrounding 22, A Million, including the meanings behind the album’s unusual song titles and iconography.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of symbolic

Browse Nearby Words

tropic
tropical
tropological
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Cite this Entry

“Tropical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tropical. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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