metaphors

plural of metaphor
as in analogies
an elaborate or fanciful way of expressing something "it's raining cats and dogs" is just a colorful metaphor and not a meteorological announcement

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 metaphors Still, his comedy is born of a remarkable sense of his own rootedness, and houses have served him well as metaphors. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Both the black box and kill switch are what cognitive linguist George Lakoff and philosopher Mark Johnson call structural metaphors. — Trent Wintermeier, The Conversation, 19 Oct. 2026 Bogs are metaphors for situations that interfere with you and your goals. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 The best moments on records like Redemption, Blackheart, and Second Line use her knack for grand, metaphysical metaphors to charge her singing with epic stakes. — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026 Even Jeff, post-premiere, has been a delight, just kind of letting the game play out and not foisting metaphors upon us at Tribal Council. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2026 Drawn to the tactile and familiar qualities of paper, Teo uses playful forms and visual metaphors to transform everyday subjects and construct whimsical, imagined worlds. — New York Times Games, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 All of those felt like metaphors for the teenage experience that could somehow be explored in magic. — Selome Hailu, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026 Lee’s wordless metaphors urge us to consider something at the margins of language, logic, and experience. — Barry Schwabsky, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for metaphors
Noun
  • With such techniques, Spider-Noir establishes a series of analogies.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Most of the time, senators exercising this role must rely on gauzy assurances and strained analogies to the candidate’s performance in previous positions.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • For the tinkering types, Meta also released open weights for Muse’s code to help people connect it to a range of other devices.
    — Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Chinese clinical tools, medical devices, and enabling technologies are likely to become increasingly central, as well.
    — Ruby Wang, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The high-wire act that followed—in which performers had to make these bland conceits into something funny without, ostensibly, preparing any jokes in advance—introduced a tension that made sketch shows feel sedate and uneven by comparison.
    — Dan Brooks, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
  • It is shockingly invested in a sense of security, from songs about taking a five-year relationship to the next level to tried-and-true musical and lyrical conceits.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Metaphors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/metaphors. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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