The slang is a metonymic but inelegant phrase.
Source: tatoeba (10649955)
Metonymic
/ˌmɛt.əˈnɪm.ɪk/
Synonyms for "metonymic" (5 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (1)
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (2)
Adjective(2 words)
figurativereference based
Related words (2)
Adjective(2 words)
symbolicsymbolic reference
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: metonymical, figurative, reference based, symbolic, symbolic reference.
- Sentence evidence is available for metonymic, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "metonymic".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "metonymic"
Keep "metonymic" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "metonymic" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "metonymic", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "metonymic" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
4 entriesdiscourse metonymylexical metonymymetonymic expressionmetonymic usage
Collocations
6 entriesmetonymic devicemetonymic expressionmetonymic mappingmetonymic referencemetonymic shiftmetonymic usage
Inflections
2 entriesmore metonymicmost metonymic
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
2 entriesSample sentences
5 total sentences available.
The British government is often referred to by the metonymic expression "Downing Street".
Source: wiktionary
With a metonymic expression encountered in almost every sixth utterance, an uncontroversial need for dealing with this problem is demonstrated.
Source: wiktionary
We investigate this replacement for a proper aggregation hierarchy and argue that it comes from a misunderstanding of both the linguistic use of terminology at the point of clinical care and the logic arguments developed for its justification. In particular in SCT [SNOMED CT] the holonymic (or hypernym) role of an aggregating concept is used as a source of inheritance which is clearly incorrect. Our explanation for this SCT modelling strategy is that the role of such a holonym has undergone the process of metonymic substitution, which is substitution of the authentic word for one that serves as a metaphor for the original. The assignment of attributes and relations of the meronymic (sub-part) members of the holonym (super-part) to be one of the holonym itself can at best be called metonymic inheritance. Importantly, if it is allowed to operate at all, it must operate from the bottom up, that is the attributes move from the part to the whole, that is, in reverse to what we normally think of as the direction of inheritance, from the top down.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "metonymic"?
Closest matches include metonymical, figurative, reference based, symbolic, symbolic reference.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "metonymic"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.