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

In this age of unremitting test screenings and CinemaScore, downer endings typically score lower, so Abrams appreciates that Cregger and Sony weren’t afraid to figuratively twist the knife in the audience. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026

Policymakers' ignorance of oil market mechanics becomes clear only when geopolitics enters the picture and blows it all to hell, either figuratively or literally. — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026

Andonovski built such a space, figuratively, in KC’s locker room, LaBonta said. — Pj Green september 11, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2026

Spirit Halloween has launched -- both literally and figuratively -- what's sure to be one of its bestsellers in 2026, with the first-ever officially licensed Goodyear Blimp inflatable costume. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above