- 1in a literal way synonym exactly The word “planet” literally means “wandering body.” When I told you to “get lost” I didn't expect to be taken literally. Idioms usually cannot be translated literally into another language.
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- 2used to emphasize the truth of something that may seem surprising There are literally hundreds of prizes to win.
- 3(informal) used to emphasize a word or phrase, even if it is not literally true I literally jumped out of my skin. Although this is a common use of literally, some people think it is not correct.
Check pronunciation: literally