literally

literally — adverb

1. According to the exact, non-metaphorical meaning of an expression, without any e

1.adverbB2
Definition

According to the exact, non-metaphorical meaning of an expression, without any exaggeration or figurative language.

Example

Daichi took the teacher's warning literally and arrived thirty minutes early.

collocation: take [sth] literally

The word 'butterfly' literally means a fly whose wings look like butter in some languages.

literally means for core definition

Common collocations
  • take [sth] literally
  • meant literally
  • interpret literally
  • understood literally
Synonyms
  • exactly

    more general; 'exactly' can match details without opposing metaphor

  • precisely

    more formal and stricter than 'literally'; focuses on accuracy rather than word-meaning

  • strictly

    emphasises following rules or definitions without flexibility

Antonyms
  • figuratively

    the direct opposite — used for metaphors and symbolic expressions

  • metaphorically

    used when words stand for something else

Grammar Patterns

literally + [verb]

[verb] + literally

take + [noun] + literally

Usage Note

This is the original and traditional meaning. When you want readers to know you are not exaggerating or using metaphor, use this sense.

Common Mistakes

I was literally starving to death' (when you are merely hungry).
I was literally starving
I had not eaten in two days.' — 'literally' in sense 1 should only be used for things that are factually true.

2. Translating each word on its own, without considering how the words work togethe

2.adverbB1
Definition

Translating each word on its own, without considering how the words work together to create meaning in the target language.

Example

Mert translated the phrase 'break a leg' literally, so his audience had no idea it meant 'good luck.'

collocation: translate [phrase] literally

If you translate 'it is raining cats and dogs' literally, you will confuse any English learner.

Common collocations
  • translate literally
  • render literally
  • literal translation
  • literal meaning of a word
Synonyms
  • word for word

    a more common and natural phrase for this concept

  • verbatim

    very formal; usually refers to exact copying of speech or writing

Antonyms
  • freely

    conveying meaning rather than exact words

  • idiomatically

    using natural expressions of the target language

Grammar Patterns

translate + literally

literal + translation

Usage Note

Frequently used with verbs of translation (translate, render, interpret). The adjective form 'literal' is more common in this sense than the adverb.

Common Mistakes

I translated it literally and it sounded perfect.' (when the translation was actually free/idiomatic).
I translated the idiom literally, and it made no sense in English.
'literally' means word-for-word, not 'in a literal way that is correct.'

3. Used to add force to a statement, especially with words that describe strong fee

3.adverbB2
Definition

Used to add force to a statement, especially with words that describe strong feelings or surprising facts, without requiring the statement to be exactly true.

Example

Vinícius was literally the last person to leave the party — even the host had gone to bed.

literally + superlative for emphasis

After climbing the mountain, Sofie said her legs were literally made of rubber.

Common collocations
  • literally the best/worst
  • literally impossible
  • literally no idea
  • literally cannot
Synonyms
  • truly

    less dramatic; a safer alternative in formal writing

  • absolutely

    stronger and unambiguously an intensifier

  • really

    the most common and neutral intensifier

Grammar Patterns

literally + [adjective]

literally + [action verb]

literally [comparative/superlative]

Usage Note

Extremely common in everyday speech and informal writing. Some traditionalists consider it incorrect to use 'literally' for emphasis with figurative expressions, but this usage is now standard in spoken English. Distinguish from sense 1 (REAL MEANING) where the statement must be factually true.

Common Mistakes

I literally died of embarrassment' (you did not actually die).
I was literally too embarrassed to say a single word.
Using 'literally' with impossible events confuses readers who expect sense 1. Use sense 3 only with statements that are almost believable.

4. Used in everyday speech to mean 'almost' or 'virtually,' suggesting that the sit

4.adverbC1
Definition

Used in everyday speech to mean 'almost' or 'virtually,' suggesting that the situation is very close to being described that way, even if not exactly true.

Example

Reema was so busy with exams that she literally had no time to eat lunch all week.

collocation: literally no [noun]

The queue for the new restaurant was so long that Jude literally waited three hours just to get a table.

Common collocations
  • literally no time/money
  • literally hundreds/thousands
  • literally just [verb]ed
Synonyms
  • simply

    the most natural neutral substitute

  • just

    very common in informal English

  • virtually

    slightly more formal, emphasises near-completeness

Grammar Patterns

literally + no + [noun]

literally + [adjective]

Usage Note

Sometimes considered substandard by style guides. The meaning is close to 'virtually' or 'practically.' Distinguish from sense 3 (STRONG EMPHASIS) — sense 4 can usually be replaced by 'simply' or 'just' without changing the sentence feel, whereas sense 3 adds dramatic force.

Word family

  • literal
    adjectiveB2
  • literalism
    nounC1
  • literalist
    nounC1
  • literal-minded
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

'Literally' (sense 1) means 'in the most basic, non-figurative sense of a word,' while 'exactly' means 'in a way that matches every detail' — you can say 'the recipe calls for exactly 200g of flour' but 'literally 200g of flour' sounds odd because flour amounts aren't a matter of figurative vs literal meaning. 'Precisely' is more formal and scientific ('the temperature was precisely 37°C'); it focuses on measurement accuracy rather than word-meaning truth. 'Strictly' emphasises following rules or definitions without flexibility ('strictly speaking, a tomato is a fruit'). Use 'literally' when you want to flag that words are being used in their direct sense (not metaphorically); use 'exactly' or 'precisely' when you care about numerical or factual accuracy; use 'strictly' for rule-based or definitional correctness.

exactly ↗precisely ↗strictly ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • take something literally
  • translate literally
  • literal meaning
  • literally speaking

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin 'littera' meaning 'letter of the alphabet.' In Late Latin, 'litteralis' meant 'of or belonging to letters.' English borrowed 'literal' from French in the 1400s to describe the exact meaning of written words. The adverb 'literally' appeared in the 1500s. The emphatic or intensifier use (sense 3) started in the 1700s and became very common in the 1900s, though some people still object to it.