as in historical
restricted to or based on fact
a literal account of the explorer's adventures is actually a lot less interesting than his own exaggerated stories
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of literal
The two are still polar opposites; Sally is a dutiful mother who bakes beautiful cakes and avoids men while Gillian is all about finding literal Chads on Tinder.
—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2026
The home design problem isn’t always too much stuff in the literal sense.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
24 June 2026
Host cities, many of whom already feel burned by the scale of costs associated with preparing for the World Cup, have taken a very literal interpretation of the contractual obligations.
—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
In addition to literal royalty, celebrities also come out to the event in droves.
—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for literal
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2026
The home design problem isn’t always too much stuff in the literal sense.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
24 June 2026
Host cities, many of whom already feel burned by the scale of costs associated with preparing for the World Cup, have taken a very literal interpretation of the contractual obligations.
—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
In addition to literal royalty, celebrities also come out to the event in droves.
—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for literal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for literal
Adjective
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Co-founder and tour guide Hannah Michelle Brower says the tour will be a historical journey exploring passenger pigeons and the Lenape people, as well as looking at how the arrival of European colonizers accelerated commercial exploitation and ultimately contributed to the extinction of the bird.
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Building historical records Collecting tree ring data to study events like El Niño helps fill in the history before satellites were available, Trouet said.
Adjective
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The prior Minnesota Anti-SLAPP law required that the court make certain pre-trial factual findings which was held to violate the right to a jury trial.
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Currently in pre-production and without a sales agent, the project carries strong environmental timeliness and a genuinely global geographic canvas that should attract factual commissioners.
Adjective
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From viral Aldi Finds to tried-and-true products shoppers love to tell their friends about, people love the thrill of discovering something new here.
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That rugged access is part of the appeal for buyers seeking a true escape rather than a weekend cabin with neighbors in sight.
Adjective
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That judge later barred the Secretary of Defense from requiring documentary proof of citizenship when military personnel register to vote or request ballots.
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Paul Dugdale directed, with documentary segments from Farah X, and Live Nation Studios produced.
Adjective
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Pee-Wee as Himself, the 2025 Emmy award winner for best documentary or nonfictional special, is also among the nominees.
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That delirious excess befits the essence of Lapid’s method, which is a fusion of fiction with indigestibly and irreducibly nonfictional elements.
Video
Literally
A word that (literally) drives people nuts
Cite this Entry
“Literal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/literal. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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