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
The [Eras Tour] floor is literally—I’ve seen underneath that thing.
—
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2025
The main lodge, a barn-style building that houses the restaurant Sugarloaf and an impressive bar, centers on a massive hearth that both literally and figuratively radiates warmth.
—Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 12 Aug. 2025
Some destinations are just too hot – literally and figuratively – to handle this summer.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Unique Vibe: Elevated both literally and metaphorically—this venue perfectly balances Chicago skyline drama with cocktail craftsmanship.
—Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for literally
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2025
The main lodge, a barn-style building that houses the restaurant Sugarloaf and an impressive bar, centers on a massive hearth that both literally and figuratively radiates warmth.
—Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 12 Aug. 2025
Some destinations are just too hot – literally and figuratively – to handle this summer.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Unique Vibe: Elevated both literally and metaphorically—this venue perfectly balances Chicago skyline drama with cocktail craftsmanship.
—Lanee Lee, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for literally
Recent Examples of Synonyms for literally
Adverb
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Stroebel lamented seeing visitors study physical signs along the street that were a few years old and did not accurately reflect the nearby establishments.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
9 Aug. 2025
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When an employee badges into an office but doesn’t actually work there that day, or in some cases, doesn’t enter at all and has someone else swipe in for them, an organization loses its ability to accurately validate an employee’s location.—
Rob Lydic,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.—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,
16 Aug. 2025
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Putin appeared to warn European leaders and Zelensky to stay out of the way of what was a work-in-progress, even though the fate of Ukraine impacts them directly.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
16 Aug. 2025
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 20 Aug. 2025.
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