literally
Americanadverb
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in the literal or strict sense.
She failed to grasp the metaphor and interpreted the poem literally.
What does the word mean literally?
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in a literal manner; word for word.
to translate literally.
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actually; without exaggeration or inaccuracy.
The city was literally destroyed.
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in effect; in substance; very nearly; virtually.
I literally died when she walked out on stage in that costume.
adverb
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in a literal manner
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(intensifier)
there were literally thousands of people
Usage
Since the early 19th century, literally has been widely used as an intensifier meaning “in effect, virtually,” a sense that contradicts the earlier meaning “actually, without exaggeration”: The senator was literally buried alive in the Iowa primaries. The parties were literally trading horses in an effort to reach a compromise. The use is often criticized; nevertheless, it appears in all but the most carefully edited writing. Although this use of literally irritates some, it probably neither distorts nor enhances the intended meaning of the sentences in which it occurs. The same might often be said of the use of literally in its earlier sense “actually”: The garrison was literally wiped out: no one survived.
The use of literally as an intensifier is common, esp in informal contexts. In some cases, it provides emphasis without adding to the meaning: the house was literally only five minutes walk away. Often, however, its use results in absurdity: the news was literally an eye-opener to me. It is therefore best avoided in formal contexts
Etymology
Origin of literally
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But "there was no easy way to actually try and track him down because they literally just had to go searching through the bush", says Hurley.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
The date is determined through a calculation known as computus paschalis, literally “computation of Easter” in Latin.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
“The average person literally is spending 16 minutes a year with their PCP,” he said.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026
“These papers have been cited, in some cases, literally tens of thousands of times.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
I had by that time lived with dogs, run with dogs, camped with dogs, for literally thousands and thousands of joyous and not a little educational miles.
From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
