emblematic

adjective

em·​blem·​at·​ic ˌem-blə-ˈma-tik How to pronounce emblematic (audio)
variants or less commonly emblematical
ˌem-blə-ˈma-ti-kəl How to pronounce emblematic (audio)
Synonyms of emblematic
: of, relating to, or constituting an emblem : symbolic, representative
emblematically
ˌem-blə-ˈma-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce emblematic (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of emblematic

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of emblematic in a Sentence

the dove is emblematic of the organization's mission to bring some peace to a troubled world
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Broader trend The 25th District Democratic primary campaign is emblematic of a political transformation taking place across the country. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026 But for Schwarber, an 0-for-4 night was emblematic of his recent slump. — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Was the discursive thread accidental, or emblematic of the two poles the AI industry is now bifurcated between? — Anisha Sircar, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026 The image of Tessarion chained in the sept in Tumbleton feels quite emblematic of his own internal experience. — Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for emblematic

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin emblēmaticus, from emblēmat-, emblēma emblem entry 1 + -icus -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of emblematic was in 1645

Rhymes for emblematic

See All Rhymes for emblematic

Browse Nearby Words

emblema
emblematic
emblematist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Emblematic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emblematic. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

emblematic

adjective
em·​blem·​at·​ic ˌem-blə-ˈmat-ik How to pronounce emblematic (audio)
variants also emblematical
-ˈmat-i-kəl How to pronounce emblematic (audio)
: of, relating to, or serving as an emblem : symbolic

More from Merriam-Webster on emblematic

Nglish: Translation of emblematic for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All