"Literally" = in the exact, word-for-word sense; "figuratively" = as a metaphor, hyperbole, or figure of speech — not the actual thing.
Adverb: exactly as stated, without metaphor, without exaggeration, in the strict and real sense. "She literally ran a marathon" = she ACTUALLY ran a marathon (it really happened). In formal use, "literally" means what you are saying is exactly true, not a figure of speech.
I literally have not eaten anything since yesterday morning — I am starving.
The flood literally swept away everything they owned — they lost all their possessions.
She was literally the only person who volunteered, so she got the job.
Adverb: as a figure of speech, metaphor, or hyperbole — not in the real or physical sense. "I figuratively died of embarrassment" = I was so embarrassed that I describe it with that exaggeration (I did not actually die). When you say something "figuratively", the listener understands it is a figure of speech.
I was figuratively drowning in paperwork — my desk was covered in documents from every department.
He figuratively moved mountains to get the project approved before the deadline.
She figuratively exploded when she heard the news — though in reality she stayed very calm.
Common mistake
The overuse of "literally" to emphasize figurative expressions has become so common in informal speech that some dictionaries now list it as a valid informal usage. However, in formal writing and situations where precision matters, saying "I literally died" when you mean you were very moved is an error. The logical problem: if something IS an exaggeration or metaphor, using "literally" contradicts it. "I literally exploded with excitement" is a contradiction in terms if no actual explosion occurred.
Trick to remember it
LITERALLY = to the LETTER. If you can verify the statement is exactly true in the real world — letter by letter, word for word — use "literally". FIGURATIVELY = as a FIGURE of speech (metaphor, hyperbole, poetic image). If the statement is dramatically or poetically describing a feeling but is not physically true, use "figuratively". Test: "I literally died laughing" — did you actually die? No. Correct: "I figuratively died laughing" or just "I died laughing" (the figure is obvious without the adverb).
Quick rule
Literally = exactly as stated, in the real and physical sense (verifiable in the real world). Figuratively = as a figure of speech, as metaphor or hyperbole (did not literally occur).
Did you know?
The hyperbolic use of "literally" to reinforce figurative expressions has been documented in English since at least the 18th century. Jane Austen used it this way in "Northanger Abbey" (1817). Linguist Steven Pinker defends this use as semantically legitimate: "literally" has evolved into an intensifier (like "really" or "absolutely") alongside its original sense. However, linguistic purists consider it a degraded usage. It is one of the most popular prescriptivism vs. descriptivism debates in modern linguistics.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
After her team won the championship, she said she was _____ on top of the world — she had never felt happier in her life.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The explosion _____ destroyed the building — when investigators arrived, nothing remained but rubble.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Literally = exactly as stated, in the real and physical sense (verifiable in the real world). Figuratively = as a figure of speech, as metaphor or hyperbole (did not literally occur).
The overuse of "literally" to emphasize figurative expressions has become so common in informal speech that some dictionaries now list it as a valid informal usage. However, in formal writing and situations where precision matters, saying "I literally died" when you mean you were very moved is an error. The logical problem: if something IS an exaggeration or metaphor, using "literally" contradicts it. "I literally exploded with excitement" is a contradiction in terms if no actual explosion occurred.
LITERALLY = to the LETTER. If you can verify the statement is exactly true in the real world — letter by letter, word for word — use "literally". FIGURATIVELY = as a FIGURE of speech (metaphor, hyperbole, poetic image). If the statement is dramatically or poetically describing a feeling but is not physically true, use "figuratively". Test: "I literally died laughing" — did you actually die? No. Correct: "I figuratively died laughing" or just "I died laughing" (the figure is obvious without the adverb).
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy