literal

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Meanwhile, in Germany, Martin Luther had questioned the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, the literal transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

“I wanted to paint a hazy portrait of the Midwest but not in such a literal way,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

It’s weird to be alive at a time when much of contemporary warfare comprises literal laser beams, flying robots and dungeons full of nerds at computer terminals, but that’s really what’s happening.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

Epstein is hardly the first rich American to pursue the literal eugenic, or “beautiful gene.”

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026

She did not share his interests—she was a literal person who did not read, she was content rather than curious about the world—but he felt grateful to her, fortunate to be with her.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie