What does "literally" mean?
Word for word, exactly as stated.; Without overstatement or understatement, or false or misleading words.
Literally
/ˈlɪtəɹəli/ adv, slang
adv, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Word for word, exactly as stated.; Without overstatement or understatement, or false or misleading words.
- Grammar: literally is listed as adv, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: absolutely, actually, certainly, closely.
- Useful contrasts: allegorically, calmly, figuratively.
- Usage evidence: Don't take it literally. He is inclined to exaggerate.
How to use "literally"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "literally" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "literally" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "literally" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "literally" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "literally" is acting as adv, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "absolutely" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "literally", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adverb
- 1 Word for word, exactly as stated.; Without overstatement or understatement, or false or misleading words.
"He's prone to exaggeration, so don't take what he says literally."
- 2 Word for word, exactly as stated.; With phrasings that might normally be used or understood as figurative: truly; not figuratively; not as an idiom or metaphor.
"When I saw on the news that there would be no school tomorrow because of the snowstorm, I literally jumped for joy, and hit my head on the ceiling fan."
- 3 Word for word, exactly as stated.; Draws attention to a pun or other wordplay involving an idiom.
"My daughter's pet rabbit had babies, and now we've literally got rabbits coming out of our ears."
- 4 As an intensifier.; Used as a general intensifier or dramatiser, sometimes tending towards a meaningless filler. colloquial
"I had no idea, so I was literally guessing."
- 5 As an intensifier.; Used as an intensifier with statements or terms that are in fact meant figuratively and not word for word as stated. proscribed, sometimes
"He was so surprised, he literally jumped twenty feet in the air."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Used as a generic downtoner: just, merely. colloquial
"It's not even hard to make—you literally just put it in the microwave for five minutes and it's done."
Adverb
- 1 (intensifier before a figurative expression) without exaggeration wordnet
- 2 in a literal sense wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Don't take it literally. He is inclined to exaggerate."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "literally"?
Common synonyms include: absolutely, actually, certainly, closely, copy verbatim, dead.
How do you use "literally" in a sentence?
Don't take it literally. He is inclined to exaggerate.
How do you pronounce "literally"?
Pronounced /ˈlɪtəɹəli/.
Etymology
From Middle English litteraly. See literal and letter. By surface analysis, literal + -ly.