literally

• Adverb, das angibt, dass etwas im strengen, wörtlichen Sinn gemeint ist, entsprechend der Grundbedeutung des Wortes. Im modernen informellen Gebrauch dient es auch als Verstärkungswort für bildliche oder übertriebene Aussagen, was in formellen Kontexten jedoch oft als falsch angesehen wird.

An adverb used to indicate that something is true in a strict, exact sense, according to the primary meaning of a word. In modern informal usage, it is also commonly used as an intensifier for figurative or hyperbolic statements, though this usage is sometimes considered incorrect in formal contexts.

1. In a literal mannerB2formal

   In a way that uses the ordinary or primary meaning of a word or expression.

   Wörtlich

   • He literally translated the Latin text into English.
   • The instructions were followed literally, step by step.
   • She took his words literally and did exactly as he said.

   Synonymeactuallyexactlyfaithfullypreciselyreallystrictlytrulyverbatimword for word

   Antonymefiguratively

2. Used for emphasisB1informal

   Used to emphasize the truth or accuracy of a statement, often hyperbolically.

   Wörtlich

   • I was literally dying of laughter at his joke.
   • The queue was literally a mile long.
   • He literally flew across the room to catch the ball.

   Synonymeabsolutelyactuallycompletelyindeedplainlyreallysimplytotallytrulyutterly