Meaning & use
quite literally
Used to emphasize that a statement is exactly and factually true, not just figurative.
See it in a sentence
After the storm, the basement was quite literally underwater.
He was quite literally the last person to leave the building that night.
A note on using this word
Careful writers reserve 'quite literally' for statements that are factually accurate, since using it for exaggeration is widely seen as a misuse.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
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