literally
literally is a polysyllabic word with 4 syllables. Using the Knuth-Liang algorithm, we calculated the hyphenation for the word you’ve entered. However, this hyphenation has not been verified against authoritative sources and may be approximate. This is because the algorithm relies on pre-defined patterns that may not cover all exceptions, contextual variations, or irregular spellings. We are working to verify hyphenations against trusted sources to ensure greater accuracy. For now, literally is hyphenated as:
Definitions ofliterally
- Word for word; not figuratively; not as an idiom or metaphor
Example: "When I saw on the news that there would be no school tomorrow because of the snowstorm, I literally jumped for joy, and hit my head on the ceiling fan."
- (degree, contranym) Used non-literally as an intensifier for figurative statements: virtually, so to speak (often considered incorrect; see usage notes)
Synonyms: virtually
Example: "He was so surprised, he literally jumped twenty feet in the air."
- Used to intensify or dramatise non-figurative statements; tending towards a meaningless filler word in repeated use.
Example: "I had no idea, so I was literally guessing."
- Used as a generic downtoner: just, merely.
Synonyms: merely
Example: "You literally put it in the microwave for five minutes and it's done."
Nearby Words
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