metaphorical

American  

[met-uh-fawr-i-kuhl, -for-] / ˌmɛt əˈfɔr ɪ kəl, -ˈfɒr- /

Also metaphoric

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

• hypermetaphoric
  adjective
• hypermetaphorical
  adjective
• metaphorically
  adverb
• metaphoricalness
  noun
• nonmetaphoric
  adjective
• nonmetaphorical
  adjective
• semimetaphoric
  adjective
• semimetaphorical
  adjective
• submetaphoric
  adjective
• submetaphorical
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of metaphorical

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

Explanation

Something is metaphorical when you use it to stand for, or symbolize, another thing. For example, a dark sky in a poem might be a metaphorical representation of sadness. You'll find yourself using the adjective metaphorical all the time if you take a poetry class; poems are usually full of metaphors. People use metaphorical language in everyday speech too, like when you say something like, "My brain is foggy today." Metaphorical comes from the Greek word meaning "a transfer," metaphora, which is itself made up of meta, "over," and pherein, "to carry."

Example Sentences

That is not a metaphorical handover, but a very real and functional one.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

That’s why I want to recommend a quirky, metaphorical way of thinking about investing when uncertainty is this high.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

It turns out the “Buffy” reboot was fighting its own metaphorical monster: an executive who was outspoken about his lack of love for the original series.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

But with oil returning to the $100 precipice, private credit markets beset by liquidity concerns, and bond investors back on inflation watch, it may not be long before the metaphorical dams start leaking.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

"Happened yesterday, at least according to Gary and Nick and the twenty-three other people who told me about it. On a swing set, apparently. Oh, the metaphorical resonance."

From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan

Related Words

• allegorical
• descriptive
• metaphoric
• symbolic