literal

8 synonyms and 4 antonyms for literal, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Taking the words of something in their basic, ordinary sense, without metaphor or exaggeration.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

exact strict plain real genuine actual

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

word-for-word verbatim

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Taking the words of something in their basic, ordinary sense, without metaphor or exaggeration.

“He took my remark about eating a horse in the literal sense.”

exact strict word-for-word plain real genuine actual

Opposites

figurative metaphorical idiomatic

2. adjective

Actually true, and not just a figure of speech.

“It was a literal race against time — the ferry left in nine minutes.”

actual genuine real

3. adjective

Of a translation: following the wording of the original closely rather than conveying its overall sense.

“A literal translation of the proverb makes no sense in English.”

word-for-word verbatim

Opposites

free idiomatic

How to use literal

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

literal meaning literal translation literal sense literal interpretation in the literal sense

Neutral and standard; the adverb "literally" as a pure intensifier is informal.

Etymology

From Latin littera, meaning "letter", via Late Latin litteralis "of letters" — that is, keeping to the letter of the text.

Full origin of literal →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between literal and figurative?

A literal statement means exactly what its words say. A figurative one uses those words to stand for something else, as in metaphor, simile or idiom. "She was drowning" is literal in a swimming pool and figurative in a pile of paperwork.

Why do people say "literally" when they don't mean it literally?

"Literally" has been used as a general intensifier for well over two centuries, in the same way as "absolutely" or "positively". Careful writers still avoid it where it contradicts the sentence, because the clash can be distracting or unintentionally comic.

Is literal the same as literary?

No. Literal means true to the exact wording. Literary means relating to literature or to a refined written style. The two are often confused because both come from the Latin word for "letter".

People also searched

real free actual exact plain genuine strict figurative idiomatic verbatim metaphorical

Nearby words

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