Synonyms for

Literal

Verb / ˈlɪtɜ:ʌl / Another word for literal — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

adjective - taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or allegory

Synonyms & similar words

real erratum misprint actual typographicalerror typo literalerror figurative genuine exact precise verbatim word-for-word actual factual real true authentic faithful genuine accurate correct right unvarnished unembellished unexaggerated unadorned plain simple

Synonyms by register

Formal

exact precise verbatim strict

Informal

actual real straight-up downright

Literary

plain unvarnished

Antonyms

figurative metaphorical imaginary fictional symbolic abstract

Common collocations

  • literal meaning
  • literal sense
  • literal interpretation
  • literal translation
  • literal truth
  • literal sense of the word
  • literal description

Word family

noun literalness
adverb literally

Usage note

Often confused with 'figurative' or 'metaphorical'. 'Literally' is sometimes used informally for emphasis, even when the statement is not strictly true, which can be considered incorrect by some.

Example sentences

  1. The literal translation of 'bonjour' from French to English is 'good day'.
  2. She took my words too literally and didn't understand that I was joking.
  3. The instructions were to follow the steps in order, in a literal sense.
  4. The painting was a literal representation of the landscape.
  5. The story was a literal account of what happened.

Quotes

  • 'Oh, my dear,' exclaimed his mother, 'how lucky it is that you have a literal mind!'
  • 'The more literal and prosaic a man is, the more purely imaginative will be the expression of his genius.' - John Burroughs
  • 'The literal is a mode of the eternal.' - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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