Thesaurus results for CATACHRESIS

catachresis

noun

Definition of catachresis

as in simile

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catachresis

Noun

An image may resonate with deeper meanings (that’s what great directors can bring about), but the compression and displacement that make the simile devastating on the page have no cinematic equivalent.

— David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
Salazar-Thompson’s witty script — packed with hilarious metaphors and similes (like comparing a woman’s firm grip on her purse to that of a two-toed sloth on a branch) — make for a consistently amusing trip back in time.

— Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026

Definition of simile

Noun

But in terms of its actual content, the statement was pretty thin gruel, bristling with public relations-style circumlocution and vagueness.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Here, instead, she’s swayed by a dead Diana softly squeezing her hand and kindly hinting — the dead Diana is an ace at tactful circumlocution — that now is the time to show a mourning nation some emotion.

— Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023

Definition of circumlocution

Noun

Cats, however, may turn out to be the canaries in the coalmines — pardon the mixed metaphor.

— Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 24 Dec. 2024
The triple-mixed metaphor says it all: Licht & Co. are struggling with the intractable problem of how to square the CNN brand’s promise — straight news — with the entertainment imperatives of nighttime television.

— Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2022

Definition of mixed metaphor

Noun

That is why a simple family code word can help stop panic before money changes hands.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026
The mention of a cover proved to be the code word, triggering the attention of the girl who introduced herself in a childlike whisper as Norma Jeane Dougherty.

— Joshua John Miller, HollywoodReporter, 5 June 2026

Definition of code word

Noun

The ground-shaking excitement was not just a metaphor in this case.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Instead, it's turned into a timeless work that's spawned decades of study about the movie as a metaphor for the civil rights movement, Vietnam War and 1960s America.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of metaphor

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.

Browse Nearby Words

catachreses

catachresis

catachrestic

See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of catachresis

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes