allegories

plural of allegory
as in parables
a story intended to teach a basic truth or moral about life Dr. Seuss's story "The Sneetches" is a telling allegory about tolerance for people's differences

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 allegories These are tales of misplacement and metamorphosis — humans as beasts, beasts as allegories. Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026 His canvases are populated by allegories. Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026 But if these movies are progressive allegories of beings transcending their differences, then Hoppers is a surprisingly blunt pushback to that notion. David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026 Sci-fi stories about alien invasions have often functioned as political allegories for anxieties around empire and immigration, Lechuga says. Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 June 2026 There are allegories that can be read about fear of the unknown breeding cruelty and exploitation, but Disclosure Day is first and foremost a propulsive yarn with thematic roots in hope, truth, empathy and perhaps even spirituality. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2026 In these allegories of dehumanization, greed, and hope, Marshall takes an unvarnished view of his subjects, one that doesn’t sugarcoat the past or succumb to nostalgia for a mythical, precolonial Golden Age. James Meyer, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026 Chandran’s reference to allegories suggests the adaptation is leaning into the arc’s political dimensions — the civil war, the manipulation of a nation by a Warlord of the Sea, and the cost of leadership. Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026 Part of a long tradition of both David and Goliath adaptations and illustrated renditions of Judeo-Christian allegories, the new musical drama is Angel Studio’s latest take on the iconic underdog story and a wholesome way to spend your afternoon. Elaina Patton, IndieWire, 22 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allegories
Noun
  • Apparently all mothers, even surrogate mothers, were alike, but at least Adele no longer had to fear monitory parables from her real mother.
    Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
  • On Sundays, O’Neal’s father preached hope from the pulpit, stories of his family intertwined with morals and truths and parables.
    Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Explore the Wild West from the back of a rickety wagon as characters share famed fables about Paul Bunyan, Babe the Blue Ox, Pecos Bill, John Henry and Hekeke.
    Lesly Gregory, AJC.com, 1 July 2026
  • My dad’s stories about his grade-school experience felt like dark fables, peppered with slurs hurled at him by classmates.
    Rachel Tepper Paley, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • By Christopher Arnott Even tales as old as time need to get told a different way every once in a while.
    Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2026
  • Everything else in these tales of Sherlock Holmes’ younger sister can be a bit over-amped and over-stylized.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026

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“Allegories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allegories. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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