SYMBOLISTIC Synonyms: 19 Similar and Opposite Words

symbolistic

adjective

Definition of symbolistic

as in symbolist

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 symbolistic Williams was the group’s poet but also its madcap, blending a symbolistic worldview with a devilish sense of humor. — Ethan Mordden, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2018 The symbolistic use of the color red, worn by the accusing girls, is contrasted with the more subdued colors of the accused. — Orange County Register, 27 Jan. 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for symbolistic

Adjective

The art of the Intifada was a symbolist art that consciously addressed its own population, not the international art world.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
With its radical sound design and striking symbolist imagery, A Well for the Thirsty is a singular achievement that announced Ilyenko as a worthy heir of Alexander Dovzhenko.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of symbolist

Adjective

There is something in the string arrangement that sounds a bit impressionistic to me, but also profoundly Mexican, with the trumpets doubling the violin lines.

— Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
It’s presented as an impressionistic historical montage, of Black farmworkers and the land, with clips of Black history that include modern suburbs, and a woman—Z herself—who gazes out of a door into a sere expanse of land bordered by low mountains.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of impressionistic

Adjective

Raimi and his collaborators go all out, ramping up the expressionistic filmmaking and embracing a clearer tone of comical absurdity.

— Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 July 2026
In his songs, the English language turned woolier and more expressionistic; musical space-time distended and stretched.

— New York Times, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026

Definition of expressionistic

Adjective

For nearly 50 years, illustrator and comic book creator Bill Sienkiewicz has burned, splattered and slashed his way across the page with his expressionist approach to visual storytelling.

— Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
By the 1980s, Baselitz’s profile began to expand beyond Germany, when he was exhibited in dialogue with figurative painters sharing his expressionist leanings, including Italy’s Sandro Chia and Francesco Clemente.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 30 Apr. 2026

Definition of expressionist

Browse Nearby Words

symbolist

symbolistic

symbolize

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of symbolistic

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes