non-literal
adjective
(alsononliteral)uk/ˌnɒnˈlɪt.ər.əl/us/ˌnɑːnˈlɪt̬.ɚ.əl/notunderstandingorintendinga word or phrase initsoriginal,basicmeaning:
Theimagerysuggestsnarrativesin anabstract, nonliteral way.
He is aliberalChristianwhotakesa non-literal,modernapproachto theBible.
Opposite
literal
- Thecuratorsuggestedcreatinga show aboutmotion,hopingthatartistswould take a non-literalapproachto theconcept.
- Thechildrenwithautismstruggledwith nonliterallanguagetasksinwaysthat weredirectlyrelatedtotheirtheoryofmindunderstanding.
- Shelikedtoplaythepianowith thesoft-pedalon, and in a non-literalsense, sheremainedthat way in otheraspectsof herlife.
- The protagonist'sjourneyisleftintentionallyambiguousand nonliteral.
Figurative use of language
- a metaphor forsomethingidiom
- allegorically
- allusion
- anthropomorphic
- anthropomorphize
- figurative
- figure of speech
- idiom
- ironic
- metaphor
- metonymy
- mix
- mixyourmetaphorsidiom
- mixed metaphor
- non-metaphorical
- pathetic fallacy
- so to speakidiom
- speak
- symbol
- trope