symbolic

adjective

sym·​bol·​ic sim-ˈbä-lik 

variants or less commonly symbolical

sim-ˈbä-li-kəl 

1

a

: using, employing, or exhibiting a symbol

b

: consisting of or proceeding by means of symbols

2

: of, relating to, or constituting a symbol

3

: characterized by or terminating in symbols

symbolic thinking

4

: characterized by symbolism

a symbolic dance

symbolically

sim-ˈbä-li-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• emblematic
• emblematical
• representational
• representative

Examples of symbolic in a Sentence

The lighting of the candles is symbolic.

The sharing of the wine has symbolic meaning.

Recent Examples on the Web

The image of the photo in the White House hallway quickly circulated, drawing attention for its symbolic placement. —Jamel Valencia, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2025

Alexis Ohanian, the Reddit founder and tech entrepreneur who has been married to Williams since 2017, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to educate the TV personality about the importance of his wife's symbolic actions. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025

Could there be a more emphatic conflation of symbolic maleness and brute force? —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025

Resolutions — symbolic statements of values or support — often become a rhetorical battleground in the House, given some of its more right-wing Republican members, and a resolution about Jan. 6 represents a significant landmine for the chamber. —Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing symbolic

• symbolic gesture
• symbolic logic

Kids Definition

symbolic

adjective

sym·​bol·​ic sim-ˈbäl-ik 

variants also symbolical

-i-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or using symbols or symbolism

a symbolic meaning

symbolic art

2

: having the function or meaning of a symbol

symbolically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb