literally
gb/lˈɪtɚəli/ us/lˈɪtɚəli/
B2
Inglês
~ 8000
Aceções
0 aceções
adverb
B2
property
1
in a non-figurative, exact way
Used to say that something is true in a basic, real way, not as a picture or comparison.
Padrão de uso:
literally [verb/adjective phrase]
Erro comum:
Learners often use "literally" any time they want to say "really" or "very," even when the statement is not true in a basic, factual way. For the strict meaning, only use "literally" when the words match reality exactly and are not just an exaggeration or comparison.
Sinónimos
exactly (Focuses on accuracy in detail, not specifically on non-figurative meaning.)
|
strictly (Highlights following rules or definitions closely; slightly more formal.)
|
in a literal sense (Longer, slightly more formal phrase with the same idea.)
Antónimos
figuratively (Signals that words are used as a picture or comparison, not in their basic meaning.)
|
metaphorically (Emphasizes that the statement is a comparison, not factually exact.)
Colocações
literally true
|taken literally
|meant literally
|translated literally
|almost literally
Temas
language
|communication
|accuracy
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- When I say the room was freezing, I do not mean it literally.
- The word "bilingual" literally means "speaking two languages."
- He literally jumped out of his chair when the fire alarm went off.
- The cave was so dark you literally could not see your hand in front of your face.
- Her name literally translates to "bright light" in English.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- This story is not literally true; it is just for fun.
- The sign literally says, "Do not enter."
- He literally ran for two hours without stopping.
- The baby is literally asleep on the floor.
- The word "century" literally means one hundred years.
unknown
informal
B2
property
2
used for strong emphasis, often nonliteral
Used in informal English to make a sentence sound very strong, even if it is not exactly true.
Padrão de uso:
literally [very strong or extreme phrase]
Erro comum:
Learners may think this emphatic use is always wrong or may copy it too much from native speakers and use it in very formal writing. It is common in speech and casual writing, but many teachers and style guides say to avoid this use in formal or academic texts.
Sinónimos
really (Common informal emphasis; sounds less dramatic than "literally.")
|
totally (Very informal and emotional; similar level of exaggeration.)
|
seriously (Adds emotional weight and sincerity rather than exactness.)
Antónimos
loosely (Suggests the statement should not be taken in a strict or strong way.)
|
roughly (Signals that something is only approximate, not intense or exact.)
Colocações
literally dying
|literally shaking
|literally the best
|literally cannot
|literally can’t even
Temas
daily life
|emotions
|informal
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- I was so embarrassed I literally wanted to disappear.
- This is literally the best pizza I have ever had.
- She was so angry she was literally shaking.
- I literally can’t even deal with this traffic right now.
- We were literally stuck in that meeting forever.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- That movie was literally amazing.
- I am so tired I literally cannot move.
- This is literally my favorite song.
- He was so happy he was literally jumping.
- The class was so long it felt like it literally never ended.
adverb
C1
property
3
according to exact word meaning
Used to say that words are understood or translated in their basic, direct meaning, word for word.
Padrão de uso:
literally [translate/interpret/take] [something]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the general idea of "true in real life." Here, the focus is on how words are read, understood, or translated, not on whether the situation is real or factual.
Sinónimos
word-for-word (Focuses specifically on translation or repeating text without changes.)
|
verbatim (More formal and technical; usually about repeating exact words, not about figurative meaning.)
Antónimos
loosely (Describes an interpretation or translation that is not exact and may change words or structure.)
|
broadly (Means in a general way, not following each word’s exact meaning.)
Colocações
taken literally
|translate literally
|read literally
|understood literally
|applied literally
Temas
language
|communication
|education
Exemplos
- The phrase should not be taken literally; it just means that the team worked very hard.
- In this exercise, do not translate every sentence literally.
- If you read that rule literally, it would be almost impossible to follow.
- The slogan, taken literally, makes no sense at all.
- Students often misunderstand the joke because they interpret it too literally.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- Do not take his words literally; he is joking.
- She translated the text literally and it sounds strange.
- Some people read this law very literally.
- If you understand the sentence literally, it is not correct.
- We should not follow the rule too literally.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
literally
IPA
GB/lˈɪtɚəli/
US/lˈɪtɚəli/
Sílabas e acento
lit - er - ally (3 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (lit)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: literally
- Plural: literallies
Família de palavras
Forms
literallies
noun
Core family
literal
adjective B2
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
literalness
noun
literalism
noun
literalist
noun
Expressões
literally nothing
1/lˈɪtɚəli nˈʌθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
informal
not one single thing
Used to strongly say that there is not even one thing, or that nothing at all happened.
Exemplos
- There was literally nothing in the fridge when we got home.
- I did literally nothing all weekend and just stayed in bed.
- He said literally nothing during the whole meeting.
literally speaking
1/lˈɪtɚəli spˈikɪŋ/
fixed phrase
considering only literal meaning
Used before a statement to show you are talking only about the exact, basic meaning of the words.
Exemplos
- Literally speaking, this isn’t a law yet; it’s just a proposal.
- Literally speaking, the building is not in the city center.
- Literally speaking, they are not married, but they live together like a married couple.
not literally
1/nˈɑt lˈɪtɚəli/
fixed phrase
in a figurative, not literal way
Used to explain that words are only a picture or comparison, not true in a basic, real way.
Exemplos
- When I say I’ll kill him, I mean it as a joke, not literally.
- She said she was dying of boredom, but of course not literally.
- The house cost a fortune, but not literally a fortune.
quite literally
1/kwˈaɪt lˈɪtɚəli/
fixed phrase
completely literal, not figurative
Used to say very clearly that something is true in a basic, real way.
Exemplos
- The streets were, quite literally, empty after midnight.
- She was quite literally the only person in the office.
- The word he used quite literally means "child of the earth."
taken literally
1/tˈeɪkən lˈɪtɚəli/
fixed phrase
understood in a literal way
Understood using the basic, direct meaning of the words, not as a joke or comparison.
Exemplos
- His comment was meant as a joke, but some people took it literally.
- If these instructions are taken literally, they could be dangerous.
- The headline should not be taken literally; it is just trying to catch attention.