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View synonyms for metaphorical

metaphorical

[ met-uh-fawr-i-kuhl, -for- ]

adjective

  1. involving, invoking, or intended to be taken as a metaphor, something used symbolically to represent something else, suggesting a comparison or resemblance:

    Our foreign policy blunder has given the insurgents a metaphorical green light to engage in violent tactics in pursuit of their imperial ambitions.



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Other Word Forms

  • met·a·phor·i·cal·ly adverb
  • met·a·phor·i·cal·ness noun
  • hy·per·met·a·phor·ic hy·per·met·a·phor·i·cal adjective
  • non·met·a·phor·ic non·met·a·phor·i·cal adjective
  • sem·i·met·a·phor·ic sem·i·met·a·phor·i·cal adjective
  • sub·met·a·phor·ic sub·met·a·phor·i·cal adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of metaphorical1

First recorded in 1560–70; metaphor ( def ) + -ical ( def )
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

We were standing inside his downtown Los Angeles studio as he explained the origin of “Here Comes the Sun,” a painting of literal and metaphorical intersections.

His professional unease is echoed by the novel’s gently surreal bending of time and space and its metaphorical conflation of life and film.

The Democrats need to engage in some real introspection, look in the metaphorical mirror and then ask themselves the hard question, "Why don't they love me anymore?"

From Salon

It’s only in the final few minutes of the course, once the room comfortably twirls to embrace metaphorical sunshine and assertively sashays to leave the negativity behind, that the song is triumphantly revealed.

In all, Americans are becoming less and less happy and that is being driven by young people falling off of the proverbial and metaphorical cliff in terms of satisfaction and happiness with their lives.

From Salon

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