figuratively
adverb
fig·u·ra·tive·ly
ˈfi-g(y)ə-rə-tiv-lē 
: in a figurative way: such as
a
: with a meaning that is metaphorical rather than literal
Speaking of panic, I recently ran into (figuratively, not literally) a friend who was ranting about giant "bees" digging holes in his lawn.—
Ron Kujawski
Ron KujawskiPoor small-town America. During the last gasps of this fevered election, pollsters, zealous campaign foot soldiers and reporters are kicking down its doors, figuratively speaking …—Doug Colligan
Doug Colligan
b
: in a way intended to represent the form or figure of something or someone having objective reality : in a way that is not purely abstract
Franz Kline, who had always painted figuratively, made his breakthrough in 1949 when he looked at one of his sketches in a Bell-Opticon magnifier, and saw the rough, thrusting horizontals and verticals that became the basis of his new abstract style.—Calvin Tomkins
Calvin TomkinsExamples of figuratively in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
He is literally and figuratively surrounded by beauty.
—Jackie Fields, People.com, 23 May 2025
The tone shifts, though, becoming myopic and even a little queasy once the film leaves high school behind and heads deeper into the forest, literally and figuratively, a shift that mimics the swoony, woozy, consumptive rush of first love — just what Hardwicke intended to capture.
—Bruce Handy, Vulture, 20 May 2025
From the court to the tunnel, Isabelle Harrison continues to shine, literally and figuratively, confirming that style and sport go hand in hand.
—Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 19 May 2025
Abel Tesfaye, the singer-songwriter otherwise known as the Weeknd, literally and figuratively sets his old persona on fire in Hurry Up Tomorrow, the companion film to his somber and operatic sixth studio album of the same name.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for figuratively
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Jackie Fields, People.com, 23 May 2025
The tone shifts, though, becoming myopic and even a little queasy once the film leaves high school behind and heads deeper into the forest, literally and figuratively, a shift that mimics the swoony, woozy, consumptive rush of first love — just what Hardwicke intended to capture.
—Bruce Handy, Vulture, 20 May 2025
From the court to the tunnel, Isabelle Harrison continues to shine, literally and figuratively, confirming that style and sport go hand in hand.
—Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 19 May 2025
Abel Tesfaye, the singer-songwriter otherwise known as the Weeknd, literally and figuratively sets his old persona on fire in Hurry Up Tomorrow, the companion film to his somber and operatic sixth studio album of the same name.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for figuratively
Cite this Entry
“Figuratively.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/figuratively. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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