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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Recent Examples of literal
There’s a literal Weirdo on the wall to the left, a towering Melanie Nissen photograph of John Denney of the Los Angeles punk band the Weirdos in 1977.
—
Peter Larsen, Daily News, 27 May 2026
And, as the season wound to a dispiriting close, there was literal infighting in the dressing room between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Friday’s broadcast ended with a literal bang, with Colbert, Daniels and White taking hammers to the talk show set and setting it ablaze.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
The green at Monroe is a literal ski slope.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for literal
Peter Larsen, Daily News, 27 May 2026
And, as the season wound to a dispiriting close, there was literal infighting in the dressing room between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni.
—Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Friday’s broadcast ended with a literal bang, with Colbert, Daniels and White taking hammers to the talk show set and setting it ablaze.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026
The green at Monroe is a literal ski slope.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for literal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for literal
Adjective
-
For many, the preservation of this traditional craft is a way to heal historical wounds and look brightly to the future.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
But of course, the systemic racism and violence at the root of those protests runs as deep as the founding of America itself, and artworks addressing those realities foster a more substantive historical reckoning today.—
Greg Allen,
ARTnews.com,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Every few weeks, there's a new article based on a new theory with little to no factual basis.—
James Hill,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
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In total, Kapoor received more than $6 million of illicit income from Location Ventures and its projects between 2018 and 2023, according to a factual statement filed with his plea agreement.—
Jay Weaver
June 6,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Attleboro managed a two-out walk but Salerno limited any true damage in the top of the eighth.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
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Huang pitched herself as the true progressive in the race, saying Raman had drifted too close to the middle during her time on council.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Cullen’s fictional account traces the unlikely, complicated friendship between Norma Jeane Baker and documentary photographer Eve Arnold, who would work with the actress throughout her career.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
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Steve McQueen wore the distinctive square watch during the filming of Le Mans, the 1971 film beloved by old Hollywood fans and motorsport enthusiasts alike for its visceral, documentary-like realism.—
Victoria Gomelsky,
Robb Report,
1 June 2026
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.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
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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.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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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 11 Jun. 2026.
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