figurative

/ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/

//ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"figurative" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“figurative” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #24,753. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#24,753
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Of use as a metaphor, simile, metonym or other figure of speech, as opposed to literal; using figures.

Corpus desk

Index EN-figurative · figurative · English

figurative · rank #24,753 · 14 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #24,753
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH fickle

Nearest frequency peer: fickle (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “figurative”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “figurative” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

figurative vs figuratively
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for figurative
PropertyValue
Headwordfigurative
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/
Letters10
Frequency rank#24,753
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “figurative”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).figurativelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “fickle” (#24,752), “flared” (#24,754), “femininity” (#24,750). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “figurative” is #24,753. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around figurative (IPA /ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #24,753 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for figurative, with forms such as "ffigurative", "fgiurative", and "figgurative". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "figuratively", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French figuratif. The correct English form is figurative, spelled F-I-G-U-R-A-T-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of use as a metaphor, simile, metonym or other figure of speech, as opposed to literal; using figures.
  2. 2
    Metaphorically so called.
  3. 3
    With many figures of speech.
  4. 4
    Emblematic, symbolic; representative, exemplative
  5. 5
    Representing forms recognisable in life and clearly derived from real object sources, in contrast to abstract art.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how figurative appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The lovers she seems to pursue with her figurative language in fact retreat under the barrage of similes, metaphors and fables.
  2. It is important to emphasize that Kafka as an autistic person was not always consciously aware his interpretations and writings were literal, thus the line between literal and figurative were not consciously clear for Kafka. This blurring stems from the specific focus of autistic persons who look at external predictable behavior of people and situations r…

Etymology

From Middle French figuratif.

Antonyms

literal

This word in other languages

figurado(Español)figuratif(Français)bildlich(Deutsch)figurativo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffigurative
  • fgiurative
  • figgurative
  • figruative
  • figuartive
  • figuraitve
  • figuratiev
  • figurativve
  • figurattive
  • figuratvie
  • figurrative
  • figurtaive
  • fiugrative
  • ifgurative

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of figurative - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ffigurative1fgiurative2figgurative1figruative2figuartive2figuraitve2figuratiev2figurativve1
Edit distance from "figurative"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "figurative"?
"figurative" is spelled F-I-G-U-R-A-T-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/.
What does "figurative" mean?
As an adjective, "figurative" means: Of use as a metaphor, simile, metonym or other figure of speech, as opposed to literal; using figures.
What words are commonly confused with "figurative"?
"figurative" is commonly confused with "figuratively". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "figurative"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "figurative" is /ˈfɪɡəɹətɪv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "figurative"?
From Middle French figuratif. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "figurative", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

femininity#24,750ethnically#24,742disapprove#24,729delinquent#24,724

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

dormitory14 variantsidentifier14 variantscriminally14 variantsinformally14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list