totemic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For his followers, Nemtsov is a totemic figure in Russian political life -- seen as a once-future leader who might have taken the country on a different path.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Picasso’s Cubism introduced Lam not only to European modernism but also to its sources—African masks and totemic art, to which Lam, understandably, felt a familial connection.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

The totemic Beale converted and from 0-14 it was now 14-14.

From BBC • Jul. 22, 2025

High-rise New York apartments have acquired totemic significance for the superrich.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2025

Interspersed amid these totemic items were stray Q-tips and cotton balls, lip liners, Max Factor eye makeup, mascara, blush, and everything else I used in a losing battle to make myself beautiful.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides