Why do people so often overuse the word "literally"?

literally every second of the day.

Because they do not know the literal meaning of “literally.”

Fashions in words come & go. In my lifetime I’ve seen “incredibly” and “unique” rise in popularity, to cite just two examples. Once popular, it rolls off people’s tongues without even pausing to question the true meaning of what is said.

I hate it. They never use it in a correct context anyway.

Because people talk a lot of figurative shit and when something actually happens it’s like woah dude!

I think it’s also meant to amplify the gravity of the situation. lol

Almost, by not all the way.

Same applies to the word virtually. “Join AARP, virtually no paperwork to fill out”

Almost, by not all the way.

There are many lazy words to help us get through a sentence or a thought.

Actually
Hopefully (misused most of the time if you’re a purist)
Like
You know

110% (better than 1000%
Really unique
Awesome

Another common waste is the word “basically.”

Because it’s, like, totally, like, badass. Literally. So yeah.

Word, duuude!!!

I think “literally” has a unique place in our language because people overuse it when it is clearly not true: “I saw what she was wearing and my head literally exploded.” “If [whoever] is elected it will literally mean the end of [civilization/national defense/the economy/justice/darts/pumpkin pie…]!”

Using “literally” in a figurative way is an extreme absurdity.

@SavoirFaire, I agree with you, but I think it’s more than that: they literally don’t care. It’s just another intensifier like “highly” (a recent addition to the misused-adverb category), “absolutely,” “positively,” and “definitely.” These words have their meanings, or have had, but they are all but lost through overuse and misuse.

@Jeruba I’m sure it’s more than that. I was just trying to be clever. Emphasis on “trying.”

I literally don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m 110% behind you even if I’m basically just being a jerk right now. But you know what I’m sayin. :p

An incredibly unique answer! Hopefully you will get, like, lurve.

@gasman I so got you.

Another is Basically. People use it all the time as a sentence starter, without regard for its meaning.

I guess it seems a good way to amplify something, or a way to let someone know, serious man. Like your example, the golf ball hit the roof of a house. Say that happened, maybe the person adds literally to inform the listener that this really happened, and it wasn’t an expression or some form of exaggeration saying how far the ball went.

For emphasis. I agree with you that it’s silly.

@filmfann: I already wrote that.

@jca Yes you did.

sorry if I am stepping on your paws.

Let’s ransom “literally” back by giving up “figuratively.”

“We have a star figuratively at the center of our solar system.”
“Her face was figuratively puffy.”
“I could figuratively eat a sandwich.”

There is also the ubiquitious definitely.

I used to keep a list of the, seemingly, infinite ways of misspelling it on fluther, but eventually had to stop. The list became too long.

“Eventually” gets its own fair share of null use.