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.

“These awards, the Emmys in particular, are being voted on by literal peer groups,” says an executive in the awards space who requested anonymity to speak candidly about Emmys strategy.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

It was, in the most literal sense, an editorial board convened to decide what deserved to be believed.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

These schools weren’t quite a direct pipeline into the American armed services, but their implicit promise was to cultivate gentlemen, if not always literal officers.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

In her vision, Warhol’s Factory is a literal assembly line, where actors and artists come to be molded and assembled into products, only to be cast out when they’re deemed defective.

From Salon • Apr. 29, 2026

I hadn’t thought at all about the literal act, the moment of asking, though of course the idea of being married to her was something I’d considered since the beginning.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee