figurative
gb/fˈɪɡjɚɪtɪv/ us/fˈɪɡjɚɪtɪv/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
not literal; metaphorical
used when something is a metaphor, not the exact meaning
Usage pattern:
[word/phrase/description] is figurative (not literal)
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use figurative to mean 'not true' or 'imaginary'; it usually means 'not literal' (often still meaningful).
Synonyms
metaphorical (Directly emphasizes metaphor and comparison.)
|
nonliteral (Plain term focusing on 'not literal' without stylistic emphasis.)
Antonyms
literal (Means the exact, basic meaning of the words.)
Collocations
figurative meaning
|figurative sense
|figurative use
|figurative expression
|figurative description
|figurative interpretation
|figurative reference
|figurative phrase
|figurative comparison
|figurative speech
Themes
language
|communication
|education
Examples
- When she said she was drowning in work, she meant it in a figurative way.
- The phrase “a broken heart” is usually figurative, not a medical description.
- Don’t take his comment literally—it was figurative.
Learner examples
- It is a figurative expression.
- She did not mean it literally; it was figurative.
adjective
C1
property
2
representing real forms in art
showing real people or things (not abstract)
Usage pattern:
figurative [art/painting/sculpture/drawing]
Common mistake:
Figurative art is about recognizable forms; it does not mean the art is 'symbolic' (though it can be).
Synonyms
representational (Common in art criticism; stresses depicting recognizable subjects.)
|
realistic (Often implies lifelike detail; figurative can be stylized and still figurative.)
Antonyms
abstract (Does not represent recognizable objects or figures.)
|
nonrepresentational (Explicitly contrasts with depicting real-world forms.)
Collocations
figurative art
|figurative painting
|figurative sculpture
|figurative drawing
|figurative work
|figurative style
|figurative tradition
|figurative imagery
|figurative portrait
|figurative composition
Themes
art
|culture
Examples
- The gallery focuses on figurative painting rather than abstract work.
- Her figurative sculptures show everyday scenes with exaggerated proportions.
- He moved from figurative art to more abstract experiments.
Learner examples
- This is figurative art.
- The painting is figurative, not abstract.
Grammar
Dictionary form
figurative
IPA
GB/fˈɪɡjɚɪtɪv/
US/fˈɪɡjɚɪtɪv/
Syllables & stress
fig - ur - at - ive (4 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fig)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: figurative
Word family
Core family
figuratively
adverb B2
figure
noun B1
Related words
figurine
noun
Advanced or less common
figuration
noun
figural
adjective
Expressions
figurative art
1/fˈɪɡjɚɪtɪv ˈɑɹt/
fixed phrase
art with recognizable subjects
art showing real people or things
Examples
- She collects figurative art, especially portraits.
- The exhibition contrasts abstract pieces with figurative art.
- After years of abstraction, the artist returned to figurative art.
figurative language
1/fˈɪɡjɚɪtɪv lˈæŋɡwɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
nonliteral language with imagery
language that is not literal, like metaphors
Examples
- The teacher asked us to find examples of figurative language in the poem.
- Advertising often relies on figurative language to sound memorable.
- He misunderstood the joke because he struggles with figurative language.
figurative meaning
1/fˈɪɡjɚɪtɪv mˈinɪŋ/
fixed phrase
nonliteral meaning of words
the metaphor meaning of a phrase
Examples
- What is the figurative meaning of “cold feet” in this sentence?
- The figurative meaning is clear even if the literal meaning sounds strange.
- Dictionaries sometimes label a definition as the figurative meaning.
in a figurative sense
1/ˈɪn ə fˈɪɡjɚɪtɪv sˈɛns/
fixed phrase
formal
not literally; as a metaphor
as a metaphor; not literally
Examples
- He’s a giant in a figurative sense—his influence is enormous.
- The company is bleeding money, in a figurative sense.
- She was speaking in a figurative sense, not describing a real event.