allegorical

adjective

al·le·gor·i·cal ˌa-lə-ˈgȯr-i-kəl

-ˈgär-

Synonyms of allegorical next

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of allegory

allegorical paintings

allegorical meanings of images

allegorical symbols of our culture

: having hidden spiritual meaning that transcends the literal sense of a sacred text

allegorically

ˌa-lə-ˈgȯr-i-k(ə-)lē

-ˈgär-

adverb

allegoricalness

ˌa-lə-ˈgȯr-i-kəl-nəs

-ˈgär-

noun

Examples of allegorical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Director Neill Blomkamp is best known for his gritty, allegorical sci-fi films. —

Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2024 Not that this was Tolkien’s approach; his style is more mythic than allegorical. —

Caitlin Penzeymoog, Vox, 7 Oct. 2024 The dancing bears therefore serve as an allegorical leitmotif in the book’s second half. —

Timothy Garton Ash, Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2018 Or as seen in the work of the sixteenth-century painter Arcimboldo, who is best known for this kind of thing in the Western tradition, painting iconic allegorical portraits out of animals or foods of a certain theme, like the four seasons. —

Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for allegorical

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'allegorical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

allegoric "allegorical" (borrowed from Late Latin allēgoricus, borrowed from Greek allēgorikós, from allēgoría allegory + -ikos -ic entry 1) + -al entry 1