Learn English – Opposite of “literal”

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I was listening to the radio today, and someone said, "The couple came across a literal 'pot of gold.'" It made me think: how do you say the opposite of that? I'm looking for a statement or phrase that lets you know that an idiom is an idiom and not to be taken "literally."

Best Answer

Figurative or metaphorical are my go-tos

Both are essentially the same, as you can see from many dictionaries using one to define the other. When I get home I'll consult a more accepted source than Google, but I'm sure they won't have much to add.

Figurative:

departing from a literal use of words; metaphorical.

Metaphorical:

characteristic of or relating to metaphor; figurative.

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