figuratively

adv

"figuratively" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“figuratively” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #29,655. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#29,655
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
18
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a figurative manner.

Corpus desk

Index EN-figuratively · figuratively · English

figuratively · rank #29,655 · 18 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #29,655
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH fey

Nearest frequency peer: fey (-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 “figuratively”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “figuratively” 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).

figuratively vs figurative
83% similar

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

Key facts for figuratively
PropertyValue
Headwordfiguratively
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
Letters12
Frequency rank#29,655
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “figuratively”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).figurativelylands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “fey” (#29,654), “fizz” (#29,656), “federalism” (#29,653). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “figuratively” is #29,655. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around figuratively, anadverb. Corpus frequency is #29,655 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for figuratively, with forms such as "ffiguratively", "fgiuratively", and "figguratively". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "figurative", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From figurative + -ly. The correct English form is figuratively, spelled F-I-G-U-R-A-T-I-V-E-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a figurative manner.
  2. 2
    Used to indicate that what follows is to be taken as a figure of speech, not literally.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. TAIWAN, or Chinese Formosa, is considered a Foo or district of the province of Fokien, and is governed by a Taoutai extraordinary, who, though responsible to the provincial viceroy, possesses the privilege of memorialising the Throne direct. “The district of Taiwan,” says the Chinese Government Chart, of which a copy was supplied to me by the Formosan aut…
  2. 1897 Easton's Bible Dictionary available on Wikisource Shepherd A word naturally of frequent occurrence in Scripture. […] This word is used figuratively to represent the relation of rulers to their subjects and of God to his people.

Etymology

From figurative + -ly.

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffiguratively
  • fgiuratively
  • figguratively
  • figruatively
  • figuartively
  • figuraitvely
  • figuratievly
  • figurativelly
  • figurativelyy
  • figurativeyl
  • figurativley
  • figurativvely
  • figurattively
  • figuratviely
  • figurratively
  • figurtaively
  • fiugratively
  • ifguratively

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ffiguratively1fgiuratively2figguratively1figruatively2figuartively2figuraitvely2figuratievly2figurativelly1
Edit distance from "figuratively"

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 "figuratively"?
"figuratively" is spelled F-I-G-U-R-A-T-I-V-E-L-Y.
What does "figuratively" mean?
As an adverb, "figuratively" means: In a figurative manner.
What words are commonly confused with "figuratively"?
"figuratively" is commonly confused with "figurative". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "figuratively"?
From figurative + -ly. 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 "figuratively", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list