as in accurately
in a literal, true, or accurate way
She is not one for hyperbole—all of her warnings should be taken literally. The employees took the CEO's remarks literally and rightfully worried about the future health of the company.
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Recent Examples of literally
Now, too, there’s some people that are literally there now because of the whole Kale Caesar thing.
—
Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Jan. 2026
Boneless couches are popping up (literally) in homes and social media feeds alike, gaining popularity for their comfort and casual aesthetic.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Jan. 2026
Regulars of Agave, the Southwestern restaurant rooted on a prominent corner in Cabbagetown for the past 25 years, literally lined up in the dining room one evening in January to share their feelings about its imminent closure with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
—Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Fort Lauderdale will literally pave paradise to put up a parking lot.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for literally
Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Jan. 2026
Boneless couches are popping up (literally) in homes and social media feeds alike, gaining popularity for their comfort and casual aesthetic.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Jan. 2026
Regulars of Agave, the Southwestern restaurant rooted on a prominent corner in Cabbagetown for the past 25 years, literally lined up in the dining room one evening in January to share their feelings about its imminent closure with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
—Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Fort Lauderdale will literally pave paradise to put up a parking lot.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for literally
Recent Examples of Synonyms for literally
Adverb
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Yet, Collins maintains that the IRS does not accurately measure the quality of its telephone service.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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Time spent on the job is both the biggest expense and the hardest to accurately gauge, leaving firms to choose between surprising clients with a larger bill or absorbing the additional cost.—
Danielle Higley,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Jan. 2026
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In 2021, Tatmon was observed loitering outside a liquor store directly across the street from the Sky Market with two other men, one of whom subsequently shot and killed Edward Morgan, 41, of Oakland, during a confrontation.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Video
Literally
A word that (literally) drives people nuts
Cite this Entry
“Literally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/literally. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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