Understanding Nonliteral Language and Its Importance in Communication

Nonliterally means not in a literal or exact sense, but rather in a figurative or metaphorical sense. It implies that the statement or expression being made is not meant to be taken as factual or accurate, but rather as an analogy, a figure of speech, or a way of explaining something in a more vivid or imaginative way.

For example, if someone says "I'm feeling like I'm drowning in work," they don't actually mean that they are physically underwater, but rather that they are overwhelmed by the amount of work they have to do. In this case, "drowning" is used nonliterally to convey a sense of being overwhelmed.

So, nonliterally means using language in a way that is not meant to be taken as factual or accurate, but rather as an expression or analogy to help explain something in a more vivid or imaginative way.