Definition of allegorynext
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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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 allegory The Persian text is a blend of ornate prose and verse dense with allegory and metaphor. Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026 McLane’s character provides endless allegory for the music industry dynamics that Crockett has eschewed over his two-decade career. Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026 But if these movies are progressive allegories of beings transcending their differences, then Hoppers is a surprisingly blunt pushback to that notion. David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026 Chandran’s reference to allegories suggests the adaptation is leaning into the arc’s political dimensions — the civil war, the manipulation of a nation by a Warlord of the Sea, and the cost of leadership. Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for allegory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allegory
Noun
  • Jesus, who speaks in parables, not in dicta or dogmas, provides us with a primary instance of the power of the nonliteral tale.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
  • On Sundays, O’Neal’s father preached hope from the pulpit, stories of his family intertwined with morals and truths and parables.
    Courtney Crowder, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • That Niall finds Ruben so alluring is natural to Gadd, who believes the notion of a valiant male figure has been bred into everyone via fables and fairy tales.
    Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
  • On Friday, April 10, when those winged sprites took to the War Memorial Opera House stage for a seven-performance run, the whole tartan-and-gossamer fable felt more alive than ever.
    Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The most obvious answer was that the story, on a deeper level, needed to be timeless, a tale of a desperate person facing moral dilemmas of increasing extremity while trying to hold fast to their values.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
  • The children participated in Disney+'s 2025 documentary Lost in the Jungle, which recounted their tale of survival, per The New York Times.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Allegory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/allegory. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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