Meaning & use
figuratively
In a metaphorical or symbolic way rather than a literal one.
See it in a sentence
When she said her head was spinning, she meant it figuratively, not literally.
The critic wrote, figuratively speaking, that the film had run out of gas.
A note on using this word
Frequently confused with, and misused in place of, 'literally,' which means the opposite.
Words with a similar meaning
metaphoricallysymbolically
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
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