Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb symbolize

2 senses of symbolize

Sense 1
typify, symbolize, symbolise, stand for, represent -- (express indirectly by an image, form, or model; be a symbol; "What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize?")
       => mean, intend -- (mean or intend to express or convey; "You never understand what I mean!"; "what do his words intend?")

Sense 2
symbolize, symbolise -- (represent or identify by using a symbol; use symbols; "The poet symbolizes love in this poem"; "These painters believed that artists should symbolize")
       => represent -- (describe or present, usually with respect to a particular quality; "He represented this book as an example of the Russian 19th century novel")