as in representative
something (such as a place or an event) that is seen as a small version of something much larger
The village is a microcosm of the whole country. The game was a microcosm of the entire season.
Related Words
Relevance
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 microcosm
Our group is a microcosm of the American family.
—
Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Ponza is an unpredictable and unsustainable microcosm.
—Kristina Kasparian, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
Vexingly, the war with Iran is reproducing in macrocosm what those wars taught in microcosm.
—Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Salla is a microcosm of Finland’s exposure to the complications of its eastern neighbor.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for microcosm
Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Ponza is an unpredictable and unsustainable microcosm.
—Kristina Kasparian, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026
Vexingly, the war with Iran is reproducing in macrocosm what those wars taught in microcosm.
—Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Salla is a microcosm of Finland’s exposure to the complications of its eastern neighbor.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for microcosm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for microcosm
Noun
-
Perry's representative confirmed to USA TODAY on Tuesday that the workers were eventually allowed to hold onto the gift cards after confusion was cleared up.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
If Republicans are able to succeed in their efforts, Kansas City would be represented by three Republican representatives, two of whom would be freshmen.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Supreme Court should grant enough time to do that analysis — and everyone involved in this case had better pray that the Texas lab doesn’t determine that the Deerfield Beach lab mishandled the sample to the point where no results are obtainable.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Toxicology testing was carried out on the two victims, with blood samples showing traces of the potent poison ricin, according to lawyers for the doctors.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In 2024, for example, the Democratic congressman secured $1 million for a local organization that operates a maternity home for pregnant and new moms between the ages of 12 and 21.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
For example, you're not obligated to buy the car rental company's expensive insurance, regardless of what a car rental salesperson claims.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Microcosm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/microcosm. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
