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 fog has cleared — both literally and figuratively — for the residents of Derry, Maine. —Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025

This one is literally and figuratively so sharp, love everything about it! —Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025

Stage and screen director Maria Friedman focuses this story tightly on Frank (both figuratively and literally, on film), cursed with overwhelming talent and overweening ambition. —Gemma Wilson, Boston Herald, 5 Dec. 2025

But the reality also is that the evolving new frontier is the coin of the realm, literally and figuratively, if K-State is going to compete for conference titles and more. —Kansas City Star, 4 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above