figurative
adjective
Lewis Mumford
Did you know?
Words and phrases can have both literal and figurative meanings, and we all use words with both kinds of meanings every day of our lives. We can literally close the door to a room, or we can figuratively close the door to further negotiations—that is, refuse to take part in them. Figurative language includes figures of speech, such as similes ("she's been like a sister to me") and metaphors ("a storm of protest"). And sometimes it's hard to tell whether a phrase is literal or figurative: If I say I "picked up" a little Spanish in Mexico, is that literal or figurative? You've probably noticed that lots of the definitions in this book show both a literal meaning (often something physical) and a figurative meaning (often nonphysical).
Examples of figurative in a Sentence
David O'Brien, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Among the players connected to the disappearance are a wide and varied cast of Austin characters: an up-and-coming boxer who crossed the border from Mexico under strange circumstances, a rookie cop determined to crack the case, a grifter clown (figurative and literal).
—Lucas Schaefer
june 13, Literary Hub, 13 June 2025
The weathered steel structure was designed as a figurative and physical frame for the community to sit and reflect on the lake.
—James Russell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 2025
That literal black eye will heal, but the figurative ones Tesla and Musk’s reputation have received from his political activities are likely to linger.
—Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for figurative
Cite this Entry
“Figurative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/figurative. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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figurative
adjective
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