Synonyms of literal

literal

adjective

ˈli-t(ə-)rəl 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• historical
• factual
• true
• documentary
• nonfictional
• matter-of-fact
• real
• actual
• objective
• simple
• reliable
• authentic
• hard
• genuine
• documented
• bona fide
• verifiable
• demonstrable
• right
• plain
• provable
• sustainable
• irrefutable
• indisputable
• incontrovertible
• undeniable
• unquestionable
• established
• certain
• incontestable
• supportable
• undoubted
• confirmable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fictional
• theoretical
• fictitious
• hypothetical
• speculative
• nonhistorical
• fictionalized
• unhistorical
• imaginary
• apocryphal
• mythical
• undocumented
• fanciful
• legendary
• nonfactual
• invented
• nondocumentary
• exaggerated
• unauthentic
• make-believe
• chimerical
• fantastic
• imagined
• fabulous
• pretend
• embroidered
• made-up
• unsupportable
• insupportable

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of literal

The rooms These days, glamping usually is more of a mentality than a literal descriptor—as such, yes, there are glam tents, but there are also cabins and suites (essentially, nicer cabins). — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026

The forecasting formula developed by Thomas is still kept under literal lock and key at the almanac’s headquarters in Dublin, New Hampshire, in an actual black box. — HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026

The market decides, and participants can take their—literal—shot to win. — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026

Shooting the transit, though, meant leaving KSC during launch, which meant sacrificing literal front row seats to one of the world's most powerful rockets. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Video

Literally

A word that (literally) drives people nuts