figuratively

adverb
UK: /fɪˈɡjʊərətɪvli/
US: /fɪˈɡjʊrətɪvli/

  1. In a way that uses words and phrases with a more imaginative meaning than the basic or literal one.

    1. He was figuratively swimming in money.
    2. When I said I was dead, I meant it figuratively not literally, of course.

Synonyms

metaphorically

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "figuratively" is /fɪˈɡjʊərətɪvli/ in British English and /fɪˈɡjʊrətɪvli/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "figuratively": metaphorically.

Example usage of "figuratively": "He was figuratively swimming in money.". More examples on the page.