literally

adverb
UK: /ˈlɪtərəli/
US: /ˈlɪtərəli/

  1. In a literal manner or sense; exactly.

    1. The room was literally overflowing with balloons. [ ] [ ]
    2. He literally jumped for joy when he heard the good news, he was so happy. [ ] [ ]

  2. Used to emphasize a statement or description that is not literally true but is used for rhetorical effect.

    1. I was literally dying of laughter during the movie. [ ] [ ]
    2. She was literally blown away by the stunning performance they gave literally flawlessly. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

really virtually verbatim practically actually

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "literally" in English means: In a literal manner or sense; exactly., Used to emphasize a statement or description that is not literally true but is used for rhetorical effect..

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

Synonyms for "literally": really, virtually, verbatim, practically, actually.

Example usage of "literally": "The room was literally overflowing with balloons.". More examples on the page.