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

Two men sit in prison − one literally, one figuratively. —Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026

Meanwhile, Tyler Myers lengthens — literally and figuratively — the Stars’ back end. —The Athletic Nhl Staff, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026

Rider Strong grew up on television, both literally and figuratively. —Ivy Pochoda, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026

What is that key meant to represent, and why was Mycroft so adamant about Sherlock literally and figuratively closing that book and moving on with his life? —Max Gao, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above