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.
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Recent Examples of microcosm
The conflict is, in some ways, a microcosm of the larger AI debate.
—
Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
As one local ride share driver told me, what happens on the roads of Los Angeles is a microcosm of what’s happening across the country.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 7 May 2026
This was a microcosm of a global humanitarian crisis.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 4 May 2026
The turmoil within the Star Wars fandom, in Carano’s telling, is a microcosm of a broader sickness.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for microcosm
Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
As one local ride share driver told me, what happens on the roads of Los Angeles is a microcosm of what’s happening across the country.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 7 May 2026
This was a microcosm of a global humanitarian crisis.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 4 May 2026
The turmoil within the Star Wars fandom, in Carano’s telling, is a microcosm of a broader sickness.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for microcosm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for microcosm
Noun
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Upon arriving by a luxe eight-passenger jet from Honolulu via Lanai Air, you'll be greeted by a hotel representative in a private luxury Sprinter, or a Tesla with falcon wing doors, and transported about 20 minutes south to the oceanfront resort.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
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Voters for the honors included representatives from NASCAR and its Hall of Fame, track owners, media, manufacturer reps, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote and the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion, Kyle Larson.—
Jeff Rosen,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
Noun
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Associated Press Key Facts The outbreak has sickened 246 people and killed 65 so far, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and preliminary lab results have reportedly detected Ebola in 13 of 20 samples tested.—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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In the same study, the researchers examined blood samples from healthy human trial participants before and after immunization with BCG.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Take for example, Arnel Pante, a Lana'i native and longtime server at One Forty, who without batting an eye honored my off-the-menu breakfast request for a small, side order of oatmeal with blueberries, kiwi, and almonds, to accompany an egg white frittata.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
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Norman Corwin’s On a Note of Triumph is one example of a work that rewards closer critical scrutiny.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Microcosm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/microcosm. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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