literal-minded
adjective
: understanding words and statements only in the most basic and ordinary way and not having much imagination
Examples of literal-minded in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This new Ghostbusters movie is literal-minded enough to slap it atop a tale of an ancient ice demon threatening to destroy the planet.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 22 Mar. 2024
Because literal-minded people don’t understand metaphor, irony or comic exaggeration.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 May 2024
But the largely literal-minded art lovers of the time could not focus on anything except that the sculpture didn’t precisely resemble Balzac.
—Victor Mather, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024
But Love Me, despite having two incredibly expressive actors at its center, remains furiously literal-minded in its questioning.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2024
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Getty Images Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
For the more literal-minded attendees, why not be on the nose about it in a true sleeping beauty?
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2023
Cancel culture tends to make people less broad in their thinking, more literal-minded.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Oct. 2023
But even a seemingly casual question like that can trip up a literal-minded candidate who is trying to give honest answers.
—Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023
There’s something of the children’s book character Amelia Bedelia about Selin, who is similarly literal-minded.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 12 Apr. 2022
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Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 22 Mar. 2024
Because literal-minded people don’t understand metaphor, irony or comic exaggeration.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 May 2024
But the largely literal-minded art lovers of the time could not focus on anything except that the sculpture didn’t precisely resemble Balzac.
—Victor Mather, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2024
But Love Me, despite having two incredibly expressive actors at its center, remains furiously literal-minded in its questioning.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Jan. 2024
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Getty Images Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
For the more literal-minded attendees, why not be on the nose about it in a true sleeping beauty?
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 10 Nov. 2023
Cancel culture tends to make people less broad in their thinking, more literal-minded.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 29 Oct. 2023
But even a seemingly casual question like that can trip up a literal-minded candidate who is trying to give honest answers.
—Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023
There’s something of the children’s book character Amelia Bedelia about Selin, who is similarly literal-minded.
—Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 12 Apr. 2022
Dictionary Entries Near literal-minded
Cite this Entry
“Literal-minded.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/literal-minded. Accessed 19 Dec. 2024.
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