figuratively

adverb

fig·​u·​ra·​tive·​ly ˈfi-g(y)ə-rə-tiv-lē 

: in a figurative way: such as

a

: with a meaning that is metaphorical rather than literal

Speaking of panic, I recently ran into (figuratively, not literally) a friend who was ranting about giant "bees" digging holes in his lawn.

—Ron Kujawski

Poor small-town America. During the last gasps of this fevered election, pollsters, zealous campaign foot soldiers and reporters are kicking down its doors, figuratively speaking …

—Doug Colligan

b

: in a way intended to represent the form or figure of something or someone having objective reality : in a way that is not purely abstract

Franz Kline, who had always painted figuratively, made his breakthrough in 1949 when he looked at one of his sketches in a Bell-Opticon magnifier, and saw the rough, thrusting horizontals and verticals that became the basis of his new abstract style.

—Calvin Tomkins

Examples of figuratively in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The final nation, the totalitarian socialist state North Korea, was literally and figuratively half a world away. —Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2024

But what makes the film snap, crackle and pop — literally and figuratively — is Sánchez’s remarkably creative drumming. —George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024

Barbara Corcoran’s face is one of her most valuable assets, figuratively and literally speaking. —Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024

The ensemble centers around the Fisher family (Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Lauren Ambrose, and Frances Conroy) who run a funeral home in Los Angeles after the sudden loss of their patriarch, exploring death as a constant companion both literally and figuratively. —Tanya Melendez, EW.com, 6 Apr. 2024

Until our outdated labor laws are finally updated to reflect the realities of the modern workforce and profit-hogging employers lose their ability to pass the buck (both figuratively and metaphorically) to the customers, tipping will continue to cheat workers out of a fair wage. —Kim Kelly, TIME, 3 Apr. 2024

Of course, a quality product starts at the roots - literally and figuratively. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

While platform shoes aren’t new — stars like Katie Holmes and Jennifer Aniston have both sported chunky footwear in recent weeks — Gaines’ stylish pair offered a fresh take on spring-ready sandals that comfortably took her outfit up a notch, both literally and figuratively. —Averi Baudler, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024

Throughout the years, the monsters have become some of the biggest stars in Hollywood — both literally and figuratively. —Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above