literally

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of literally My Hands Are My Heart seems a direct response to some of these questions, literally performing unresolvable contradictions. Benjamin H. D. Buchloh, Artforum, 1 June 2025 The inspiration for this show was literally working in restaurants. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2025 We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of an Arvada idol who quite literally never stopped smiling, whose funny bone was always on full display and who always had a good head on his shoulders. Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 30 May 2025 This time, the complicated plot—perhaps, unnecessarily so—is quite literally hidden in shoeboxes. Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for literally
Recent Examples of Synonyms for literally
Adverb
  • Or, more accurately, a wrong day for any member of the Dallas Wings frontcourt.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 31 May 2025
  • Apple Maps and Waze accurately charted traffic patterns, and only Google Maps appeared to be affected.
    Ashley Belanger – May 30, ArsTechnica, 30 May 2025
Adverb
  • But, these physical differences do not directly or solely determine the risk of fragility fractures–bone quality and health does.
    Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
  • These private ventures could benefit directly from crypto-friendly legislation and the executive orders emerging from Washington.
    Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Literally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/literally. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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