“literally” vs. “figuratively”

Use "literally" only for something that is factually, exactly true; use "figuratively" to signal a metaphorical or exaggerated statement. Avoid using "literally" as a casual intensifier for statements that are clearly not literally true.

The real distinction

"Literally" should describe something that actually, factually happened exactly as stated, while "figuratively" signals that a statement is a metaphor or exaggeration not meant to be taken at face value, and the widespread modern habit of using "literally" for emphasis in clearly figurative statements ("I literally died laughing," when the speaker obviously did not die) is one of the most frequently criticized usage trends in contemporary English. Strict usage guides insist that "literally" should never be used this way, since it inverts the word's actual meaning — pairing it with a statement everyone knows is exaggerated ("literally died") makes "literally" function as nothing more than an intensifier, robbing it of its precise, useful meaning. That said, this figurative or emphatic use of "literally" has become so common in casual speech that some dictionaries now list it as an informal secondary sense, acknowledging the shift while still noting that many careful writers and editors consider it an error, particularly in formal writing. For clear, unambiguous communication — especially in professional, academic, or journalistic writing — reserve "literally" strictly for things that are factually true exactly as described, and use "figuratively," "practically," "virtually," or simply drop the intensifier altogether when describing an obvious exaggeration or metaphor.

Examples with “literally”

• The bridge literally collapsed during the earthquake.
• She literally ran five miles before breakfast this morning.
• The company literally doubled its revenue within two years.
• He literally saved her life by performing CPR.
• The building was literally destroyed by the fire.
• They literally walked twenty miles to reach the nearest town.
• She literally translated the document word for word.
• The temperature literally dropped ten degrees in an hour.
• He literally wrote the book on the subject; it's on the shelf.
• The tank was literally empty when they checked the gauge.
• The old bridge literally crumbled under the weight of the truck.
• The old ceiling literally caved in during the storm.

Examples with “figuratively”

• He was figuratively glued to his phone all weekend.
• She figuratively exploded with excitement over the news.
• The team figuratively carried the company through a tough year.
• He was figuratively drowning in paperwork by Friday.
• She figuratively lit a fire under the entire department.
• The market figuratively crumbled overnight, according to analysts.
• He figuratively wore his heart on his sleeve during the speech.
• The negotiations were figuratively a minefield from start to finish.
• She figuratively climbed a mountain to finish the dissertation.
• The old rivalry figuratively split the town in two.
• The new manager figuratively breathed new life into the struggling team.
• The scandal figuratively unraveled the entire administration overnight.

Memory trick

Remember "literally" comes from "letter," meaning exactly as the words state, letter for letter, fact for fact. "Figuratively" comes from "figure," meaning the words take on a different shape or meaning than their literal sense — if the statement would sound absurd taken at face value, you need "figuratively," not "literally." As a final check, ask yourself if the statement could be filmed exactly as described and still make sense — if not, you need "figuratively," not "literally."