figuratively

adverb

fig·​u·​ra·​tive·​ly ˈfi-g(y)ə-rə-tiv-lē 

: in a figurative way: such as

a

: with a meaning that is metaphorical rather than literal

Speaking of panic, I recently ran into (figuratively, not literally) a friend who was ranting about giant "bees" digging holes in his lawn.

—Ron Kujawski

Poor small-town America. During the last gasps of this fevered election, pollsters, zealous campaign foot soldiers and reporters are kicking down its doors, figuratively speaking …

—Doug Colligan

b

: in a way intended to represent the form or figure of something or someone having objective reality : in a way that is not purely abstract

Franz Kline, who had always painted figuratively, made his breakthrough in 1949 when he looked at one of his sketches in a Bell-Opticon magnifier, and saw the rough, thrusting horizontals and verticals that became the basis of his new abstract style.

—Calvin Tomkins

Examples of figuratively in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After my mother abruptly left town to be with another man, my brother and I were left to clean up the mess, literally and figuratively. —Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 8 May 2024

Rather than the sky-high Manolos that her SATC character, Carrie Bradshaw, is known for, Parkers’s block heels reminded us of flats with a little lift that both literally and figuratively elevated her casual outfit. —Brittany Vanderbill, Peoplemag, 6 May 2024

The program’s magic has helped a new generation of performers and leaders take flight — literally and figuratively. —Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024

Paul Morigi/Getty Images The pair loosened up a bit more for their second red carpet, literally and figuratively. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 28 Apr. 2024

But Retail Track ran out of gas (figuratively) and out of time (literally) — and the local bar with cold Pabst Blue Ribbon cans was beckoning. —Ed Christman, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2024

It’s paid, figuratively and literally, for athletes to stay in school. —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2024

Things get lost in translation literally and figuratively. —Okla Jones, Essence, 19 Apr. 2024

Please know my heart (literally and figuratively) was well-intentioned. —Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 18 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above