allegory

noun

ˈa-lə-ˌgȯr-ē How to pronounce allegory (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 This Pulitzer-winning neo-slave narrative reimagines the Underground Railroad as a real subterranean network, in a Sisyphean allegory that illustrates the relentless metamorphoses of white supremacy and Black resistance. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 July 2026 Hawthorne’s tale is not just an allegory of the Revolution. — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026 This is finally an allegory of humanity’s needs beyond food, water, and shelter. — Literary Hub, 9 June 2026 His story is an allegory for refereeing football matches. — Graham Scott, New York Times, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for allegory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for allegory
  1. parable
  2. fable
  3. tale
Noun
  • Mandela’s life and South Africa’s history should never be flattened into a corporate parable.
    — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The pair’s mysterious interactions in the early chapters give way to a series of parables of doubt and belief, in which a rational character is confronted by an irrational event—and immediately convinced of its absolute truth.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
Definition of parable
Noun
  • Sullivan’s Anne first aired on PBS the very same night, for instance, that the erotic multicultural dance fable Flashdance was first shown on network TV.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Even the 2025 Tigers, the team that staved off a monumental late-season collapse, lives on as a fable highlighting the importance of playing the whole schedule.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of fable
Noun
  • Set in 1964 and based on a true story, the film tells the tale of a young journalist who tracks down a potential Nazi officer living secretly in New York and befriends the suspect’s charming wife.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Like James himself, the men are clever and bookish, writing letters or diaries, reading voraciously, and imagining themselves into tales of romance and Biblical comeuppance.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of tale

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allegories
allegory
allegro
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on allegory

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about allegory

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