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
Pascal and Phoenix play a small-town sheriff and a mayor at odds who will go to dangerous lengths to bury each other (kind of literally).
—
Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 18 July 2025
The Exchange’s centerpiece – quite literally occupying a towering former grain silo in the middle of the action – is Churn ice cream.
—Shauna Farnell, Denver Post, 17 July 2025
But as the ball came loose and the game literally bounced away from the Panthers, another scapegoat was suddenly added to the mix.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2025
The Nationals have done nothing around the core of James Wood, C.J. Abrams and MacKenzie Gore — literally, the rest of the roster is barely above replacement level — and now might be starting over again.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for literally
Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 18 July 2025
The Exchange’s centerpiece – quite literally occupying a towering former grain silo in the middle of the action – is Churn ice cream.
—Shauna Farnell, Denver Post, 17 July 2025
But as the ball came loose and the game literally bounced away from the Panthers, another scapegoat was suddenly added to the mix.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2025
The Nationals have done nothing around the core of James Wood, C.J. Abrams and MacKenzie Gore — literally, the rest of the roster is barely above replacement level — and now might be starting over again.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for literally
Recent Examples of Synonyms for literally
Adverb
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Method: Double check that key citations exist and are accurately represented, especially for claims that seem surprising or too convenient.—
Brent Dykes,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Meanwhile, the Administration’s current budget proposal would close 10 laboratories run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which help accurately predict life-threatening hazards.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
15 July 2025
Adverb
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My ultimate goal is to help people feel a sense of wellness, and these ingredients directly nourish that.—
Kirby Adams,
The Courier-Journal,
23 July 2025
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This may be one of the last chances to buy the phone directly from Google, if that matters to you.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
22 July 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 29 Jul. 2025.
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