1. the quality of being literal; adherence to the exact meaning of words without interpretation or metaphor
2. lack of imagination or creativity in interpretation; overly strict adherence to facts or rules
Usage: often implies criticism

Examples

• The literalness of his translation made the poetry sound awkward.
• Her literalness in following instructions left no room for creative solutions.
• The judge’s literalness in interpreting the law frustrated the defense attorney.
• Children often display literalness when they don’t understand metaphors.
• The literalness of the biblical interpretation sparked debate among scholars.
• His literalness made it difficult for him to appreciate abstract art.