allegory
4 synonyms for allegory, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A story, picture, or other work whose characters and events stand for a deeper, often moral or political, meaning.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use allegory
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a political allegory
read as an allegory
allegory for
Etymology
From Ancient Greek allegoria, "speaking in a different way" — combining allos ("other") with a verb meaning "to speak publicly," so literally "saying one thing while meaning another."
Full origin of allegory →Frequently asked questions
What does “allegory” mean?
The word “allegory” means a story, picture, or other work whose characters and events stand for a deeper, often moral or political, meaning. In plain terms, a story that works on two levels — the surface plot, and a hidden deeper meaning it represents.
How do you pronounce “allegory”?
“Allegory” is pronounced A-lih-guh-ree (/ˈæləˌɡɔɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “allegory” in a sentence?
Here is “allegory” used in a sentence: “Animal Farm is an allegory for the Russian Revolution.”
What part of speech is “allegory”?
“Allegory” is a noun.
Where does the word “allegory” come from?
The word “allegory” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek allegoria, "speaking in a different way" — combining allos ("other") with a verb meaning "to speak publicly," so literally "saying one thing while meaning another.".
