personification

noun

pər-ˌsä-nə-fə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce personification (audio)
Definition of personificationnext
as in manifestation
a visible representation of something abstract (as a quality) he's the personification of kindness

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of personification Most memorable is the adaptation of Twain’s Mysterious Stranger, a supernatural tale in which the personification of evil grants tiny clay people life, only to then confront them with great hardship. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026 The vitality of her language, its frolicsome dance with personification, communicates its own resistance in the face of an indifferent world, exploited by imperialist greed and barbaric, militant might. — Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026 Defined by her beauty and its capacity to both beguile and betray, she can be interpreted as a destructive force and personification of the male fear of female autonomy. — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026 The sunniest way to view the system is as a personification of the interactive book Neal Stephenson wrote about in his novel The Diamond Age. — Steven Levy, Wired News, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for personification
Recent Examples of Synonyms for personification
  1. manifestation
  2. incarnation
  3. image
Noun
  • Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini You were deeply affected by a Yoplait Light commercial as a youth and consider this suit to be the physical manifestation of confidence.
    — Madeline Goetz, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2026
  • But the competition for the Golden Lion and the festival’s other awards is only the start of Venice’s wide-ranging embrace of the art of cinema in its many manifestations.
    — David Bloom, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of manifestation
Noun
  • But the modern incarnation is largely a product of the pandemic, with theft quadrupling from levels seen before 2020.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Some 1,600 episodes of the puppet show will be restored, as a CGI incarnation of the property enters development and will be shopped to buyers at MIPCOM in October.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of incarnation
Noun
  • But there is a deeper question of why a modern tech company, especially an AI company, would need to soften their image with cotton and canvas.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Granted, save for one image on a TV screen, no one wears a Green Lantern mask or outfit in the Lanterns pilot, but the wheels of its story have been in motion for decades by the time its premise unfolds.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of image

Browse Nearby Words

personators
personification
personifications
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Cite this Entry

“Personification.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/personification. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on personification

Nglish: Translation of personification for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about personification

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