figurally
- adverb
- /ˈfɪɡjərəli/
:
figuradamente
- In the poem, the river flows figurally, representing the passage of time and life's journey.
Examples
-
These avian figures perfectly suit the "spirit of Biko," represented figurally but understood here as Black Consciousness itself, since they remain fertile despite their wounds, are peaceful until provoked, and are able to take flight toward new horizons.
Academic text (2005) -
This compulsion may be undergirded by a longing for inclusion or a wish to watch the ceremony collapse under the weight of its own solemnities, but in the case of queers, we may also identify with the expansive, figurally complex sociability suggested by some element of the wedding ritual.
Fiction book (2002) -
When the two are compared, it is quite evident that the image of Mary responds physically, figurally, and even iconographically to Mars.
Academic text (2005) -
He described the struggle figurally, likening it to climbing a steep mountain that seems insurmountable.
-
The artist painted her emotions figurally, using colors and shapes to convey feelings of joy and sadness.
Synonyms
35
6.7
Not literally, it uses one thing to describe another
34
4.8
To use words to say something that is not literally true
24
6.0
In a way that shows an idea instead of saying it directly
In a non-literal way that uses words or images to show an idea
Antonyms
How Figurative
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Figurally comes from the word figure, which means 'shape' or 'image'. So, to speak figurally is to use an image in words to show an idea, not to mean it in a real, physical way.