Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun literal

1 sense of literal

Sense 1
misprint, erratum, typographical error, typo, literal error, literal -- (a mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind)
       => error, mistake -- (part of a statement that is not correct; "the book was full of errors")

Antonyms of adj literal

4 senses of literal

Sense 1
actual, genuine, literal, real -- (being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something; "her actual motive"; "a literal solitude like a desert"- G.K.Chesterton; "a genuine dilemma")

INDIRECT (VIA true) -> false -- (not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality; "gave false testimony under oath"; "false tales of bravery")

Sense 2
literal -- (without interpretation or embellishment; "a literal depiction of the scene before him")

INDIRECT (VIA exact) -> inexact -- (not exact)

Sense 3
literal (vs. figurative) -- (limited to the explicit meaning of a word or text; "a literal translation")

figurative (vs. literal), nonliteral -- ((used of the meanings of words or text) not literal; using figures of speech; "figurative language")
        => analogical -- (expressing, composed of, or based on an analogy; "the analogical use of a metaphor")
        => extended -- (beyond the literal or primary sense; "`hot off the press' shows an extended sense of `hot'")
        => metaphorical, metaphoric -- (expressing one thing in terms normally denoting another; "a metaphorical expression"; "metaphoric language")
        => metonymic, metonymical -- (using the name of one thing for that of another with which it is closely associated; "to say `he spent the evening reading Shakespeare' is metonymic because it substitutes the author himself for the author's works")
        => poetic -- (characterized by romantic imagery; "Turner's vision of the rainbow...was poetic")
        => synecdochic, synecdochical -- (using the name of a part for that of the whole or the whole for the part; or the special for the general or the general for the special; or the material for the thing made of it; "to use `hand' for `worker' or `ten sail' for `ten ships' or `steel' for `sword' is to use a synecdochic figure of speech")
        => tropical -- (characterized by or of the nature of a trope or tropes; changed from its literal sense)

Sense 4
literal -- (avoiding embellishment or exaggeration (used for emphasis); "it's the literal truth")

INDIRECT (VIA plain) -> fancy -- (not plain; decorative or ornamented; "fancy handwriting"; "fancy clothes")

Similarity of adj literal

4 senses of literal

Sense 1
actual, genuine, literal, real -- (being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something; "her actual motive"; "a literal solitude like a desert"- G.K.Chesterton; "a genuine dilemma")
       => true (vs. false) -- (consistent with fact or reality; not false; "the story is true"; "it is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true"- B. Russell; "the true meaning of the statement")

Sense 2
literal -- (without interpretation or embellishment; "a literal depiction of the scene before him")
       => exact (vs. inexact) -- (marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact; "an exact mind"; "an exact copy"; "hit the exact center of the target")

Sense 3
literal (vs. figurative) -- (limited to the explicit meaning of a word or text; "a literal translation")
       => denotative, explicit -- (in accordance with fact or the primary meaning of a term)
          Also See-> exact#1; unrhetorical#1

Sense 4
literal -- (avoiding embellishment or exaggeration (used for emphasis); "it's the literal truth")
       => plain (vs. fancy) -- (not elaborate or elaborated; simple; "plain food"; "stuck to the plain facts"; "a plain blue suit"; "a plain rectangular brick building")