literal-minded
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of literal-minded
First recorded in 1865–70
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.
"Sensitivity to language is important and necessary, but we've become too literal-minded".
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2024
As Elizabeth Yuko wrote for the History Channel last year, it was the rise of Charismatic Christianity — and televangelists like Billy Graham — who helped bring the fiery and literal-minded approach to contemporary demon-busting.
From Salon • Oct. 8, 2023
"Started out as a good idea - Let's be nice to people' - and finished up as a humorless, censorious, literal-minded, posturing idiocy," he wrote.
From Fox News • Apr. 15, 2021
People are sincere but lack passion and the ability to detect sarcasm; food is scarce and lacks salt; literal-minded bureaucrats appear well-intentioned but are borderline malevolent.
From New York Times • May 26, 2020
He is a very literal-minded person, and takes all his pirates seriously, but often we are surprised by some touch of nature that makes the whole world kin.
From The Gentle Reader by Crothers, Samuel McChord
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.
