as in parable
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
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Recent Examples of allegory
Is this the real world or an apocalyptic allegory of some kind?
—
Jenelle Riley, Variety, 14 Jan. 2026
The team’s hypothesis gets its name from a 2,400-year-old allegory by the Greek philosopher Plato.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 7 Jan. 2026
His canvases are populated by allegories.
—Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Sirāt‘s central themes are deeply rooted in both metaphysical allegory and contemporary societal critique.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allegory
Jenelle Riley, Variety, 14 Jan. 2026
The team’s hypothesis gets its name from a 2,400-year-old allegory by the Greek philosopher Plato.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 7 Jan. 2026
His canvases are populated by allegories.
—Philip Martin, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Sirāt‘s central themes are deeply rooted in both metaphysical allegory and contemporary societal critique.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for allegory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allegory
Noun
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Plato’s prescient understanding of ICE agents arose during a discussion of the parable of the Ring of Gyges.—
Paul Rosenzweig,
Washington Post,
9 Feb. 2026
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Faustian parables unlock more interesting connotations when considered not in terms of politics, but of art.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This poetic, interactive solo-theater piece blends fable and modern-day storytelling.—
Caroline Ritzie,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
11 Feb. 2026
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The Grand Prix winner of last year’s Cannes Critics Week, filmmaker Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s snaky, surprising fable starts with a sneeze and explodes into a saga about bureaucracy, modernization and moral corruption.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The film vaguely follows the basic outline of the first half of the novel, heavily streamlining the twisted tale of family strife and generational trauma into a more conventional tragic romance centered squarely on Catherine and Heathcliff.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
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The least satisfying tales involve a group of reasonable counterparties teaming up against a single aggressor, like an Indiana man who’s turned his grandmother’s house into an unauthorized urban farm.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Allegory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allegory. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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