not literally

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not literally" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to clarify that a statement should not be taken in its most basic or direct sense. Example: "When I said I could eat a horse, I meant it figuratively, not literally." Alternative expressions include "not in a literal sense" and "figuratively speaking."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Not literally".

The New York Times

Not literally, of course.

The New York Times

"Not literally," Julia said.

The New Yorker

Well, not literally.

The New York Times

It's not literally true.

The New Yorker

"Not literally," the interpreter said.

The New Yorker

That is not literally true.

The New York Times

He is not literally naked.

The New York Times

Possibly not literally.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Not literally, Andy.

The Guardian - Sport

But not literally".

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Deploy this phrase in technical or academic writing when using a metaphor to ensure the reader understands the underlying theoretical abstraction

Common error

Do not use "not literally" when the context is so obviously hyperbolic that no reasonable reader would take it as fact. For example, in the sentence 'I was so hungry I could have eaten a house, not literally', the clarification adds unnecessary wordiness because the impossibility of eating a house is self-evident

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not literally" functions primarily as a clarifying adjunct or a parenthetical negation. Its role is to negate the primary, surface-level meaning of a preceding word or phrase. According to Ludwig, it is a standard and correct way to signal non-literal intent.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "not literally" is a versatile linguistic tool used to bridge the gap between creative expression and factual accuracy. Ludwig data shows that it is exceptionally common in high-tier journalism and academic discourse, where precision is paramount. Whether used as a humorous disclaimer in a Vice article or as a methodological boundary in a Yale lecture, it serves to protect the writer's credibility when using idiomatic or symbolic language. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and suggests that while it is a powerful clarifier, writers should be mindful of redundancy in purely obvious contexts. Ultimately, it remains the gold standard for signaling that one's words should be taken "figuratively" rather than at face value.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not in a literal sense

Uses a more formal prepositional structure to achieve the same clarification

figuratively speaking

Explicitly labels the communication style as non-literal

metaphorically

Narrows the scope to a specific type of non-literal comparison

in a manner of speaking

Suggests that the wording is an approximation rather than a precise fact

not actually

Focuses on the lack of factual reality behind the preceding statement

not strictly

Implies that the statement is true in a broad sense but fails under precise scrutiny

symbolically

Indicates that the action represents something else rather than being an end in itself

virtually

Suggests that something is nearly true even if it is not factually true

rhetorically

Clarifies that the language is used for effect rather than to convey information

proverbially

Indicates the use of a common idiom or saying that should not be taken literally

FAQs

How to use "not literally" in a sentence?

You can use it to clarify a previous statement, for example: "When I said my head was exploding, I meant it figuratively, "not literally"".

What can I say instead of "not literally"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "figuratively", "metaphorically" or "not actually".

Which is correct, "not literally" or "figuratively"?

Both are correct. "figuratively" is an adverb that describes how you are speaking, while "not literally" is a negation used to rule out a factual interpretation.

What's the difference between "not literally" and "virtually"?

While "not literally" denies a factual interpretation, "virtually" suggests that something is so close to being true that the difference is negligible.