English Reference
Adverb

symbolically

adv.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /sɪmˈbɑɫɪkəɫi/ UK /sɪmbˈɒlɪkli/ sym·bol·i·cal·ly

adv.in a way that represents something else or shows a meaning. You use this when an action or object is used to stand for a larger idea.

adv.in a manner that represents or expresses a particular idea, quality, or feeling. Often used to describe actions that carry a deeper significance than their literal meaning.


SIMPLE

The dove is a symbolically important animal in many cultures.

CONTEXTUAL

The president visited the site symbolically to show the nation's commitment to peace.

COMPLEX

While the ceremony was brief, it was symbolically significant as it marked the first time the two nations had shared a border since the war.

After all, Sincil Bank sits in the shadow of the imposing cathedral, high on the hill and a building that symbolically represents the importance of this area stretching back hundreds of years.

The Guardian· 23 Aug 2026

From the opening, symbolically charged image of Alexandre running haplessly around a maze of terraced vineyards, director David Bonneville has a keen sense of the higher implications of his story.

The Guardian· 7 Sept 2026

From symbolical + -ly or symbolic + -ally.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated