Figuratively is the broad term: not literally, covering every kind of non-literal language. Metaphorically is narrower and refers to metaphor specifically. All metaphorical language is figurative; figurative language also includes simile, hyperbole, irony and personification.
The core difference
A category and one of its members.
- figuratively — any non-literal use: metaphor, simile, hyperbole, irony.
- metaphorically — by metaphor specifically: one thing described as another.
Which to use
If you are flagging that a statement is not literal, figuratively is the safe word. Use metaphorically when you specifically mean the comparison is a metaphor — otherwise you are claiming more precision than you need.
The literally problem
The reason people reach for either is usually to correct literally, which is widely used as an intensifier meaning its own opposite. That use has been current for over two centuries and appears in major dictionaries, so it is not new — but in writing where precision matters, figuratively remains the word that says what you mean.
Frequently asked questions
Which is broader?
Figuratively. It covers all non-literal language; metaphorically refers to metaphor specifically.
Is using "literally" for emphasis wrong?
It is very well established — over two centuries old and recorded in major dictionaries — though it is avoided in writing where precision matters.
What counts as figurative language?
Metaphor, simile, hyperbole, irony, personification and others — anything not meant literally.