catachresis

noun

Definition of catachresisnext
as in simile

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catachresis
  1. simile
  2. euphemism
  3. analogy
  4. circumlocution
  5. mixed metaphor
  6. code word
  7. metaphor
Noun
  • In this way, simile and metaphor stretch beyond what’s possible to bring us closer to what’s true.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Isla’s mother, Chloe Howell, said the tween loves to crack jokes at home and came up with the funny simile herself.
    — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of simile
Noun
  • Forty-one minutes later, the CFIA issued—Orwell would appreciate the agency’s flair for euphemism—a Notice to Dispose.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Orwell was exploring the roles that euphemism, tangled syntax, and dying metaphors can play in obscuring the true intentions of a totalitarian state.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of euphemism
Noun
  • This analogy is increasingly relevant to AI-conscious organizational leadership.
    — Alexandra J. Zanela, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In Wright’s analogy, the building is alive, and white paint is a killer.
    — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of analogy
Noun
  • But in terms of its actual content, the statement was pretty thin gruel, bristling with public relations-style circumlocution and vagueness.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Here, instead, she’s swayed by a dead Diana softly squeezing her hand and kindly hinting — the dead Diana is an ace at tactful circumlocution — that now is the time to show a mourning nation some emotion.
    — Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023
Definition of circumlocution
Noun
  • Cats, however, may turn out to be the canaries in the coalmines — pardon the mixed metaphor.
    — Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Excuse the mixed metaphor, but the Viper feels like a great white shark on the road.
    — WSJ, WSJ, 3 Dec. 2022
Definition of mixed metaphor
Noun
  • Some couples and families even choose a code word that means the conversation is pausing, Wilson says—not that the relationship is disappearing.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • According to the Daily Mail, Baldoni and Swift actually communicated after the end of his dispute with Lively, and the two now share a code word when talking about the issue.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 July 2026
Definition of code word
Noun
  • Or obliterate the self—dying of shame is not always a metaphor.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Bogs are metaphors for situations that interfere with you and your goals.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of metaphor
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.

Browse Nearby Words

catachreses
catachresis
catachrestic
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“Catachresis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catachresis. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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