as in metaphorical
expressing one thing in terms normally used for another a tropological construct that no reader of the text should take literally

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tropological
Adjective
  • Visitors also saw her figurative works on the themes of freedom and democracy, made in collaboration with the former South African statesman and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela.
    Percy Zvomuya, Artforum, 1 June 2025
  • Most of her figurative heads function as metaphors for big ideas that lead us down introspective alleyways.
    Nina-Sophia Miralles, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • The company dates back to the late 1930s and is known for its sweet candles in figural shapes such as Santas, snowmen, and carolers.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2024
  • The company dates back to the late 1930s and is known for its sweet candles in figural shapes such as Santas, snowmen, and carolers.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Many experts say no — despite the opposition’s vow to file a complaint with the Organization of American States, a move that may be more symbolic than substantial.
    Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
  • This delay means that younger Gen Xers and Millennials, who may have already navigated significant financial milestones—like buying a home or sending kids to college—without that anticipated boost, may find inheritances to be more symbolic than transformative.
    Joseph Coughlin, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Tropological.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tropological. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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