literal-minded
literal-minded — adjective
1. A literal-minded person understands words and sentences only in their simplest a
A literal-minded person understands words and sentences only in their simplest and most direct way, and has difficulty recognizing humor, sarcasm, common sayings, or anything that is not stated plainly and exactly.
Priya is so literal-minded that she asked a coworker for the address of a restaurant he called "around the corner."
subject-complement pattern: so literal-minded that…
Kenji's literal-minded approach made him paint the fence exactly as the instructions said, while everyone else skipped the second coat.
literal-minded + modifier (approach / reading / nature)
Yusuf struggled with the poetry task because his literal-minded reading missed every hidden meaning in the author's lines.
The literal-minded employee did not laugh when his manager said the broken printer had "a mind of its own."
- literal
Describes the meaning of words, not a person — 'the literal meaning' versus 'a literal-minded person'.
- concrete
Similar focus on tangible facts over abstract ideas, but 'concrete' is broader and less about language comprehension.
- pedantic
More negative — a pedantic person insists on trivial correctness or detail; literal-minded suggests simple lack of flexibility, not arrogance.
- unimaginative
Overlaps in meaning but broader — can describe art, ideas, or solutions, not just language interpretation.
- imaginative
Able to think creatively and understand non-literal meanings.
- flexible
Willing to interpret words or situations in more than one way.
用法筆記
Often used as a premodifier (literal-minded person / approach / reading) or after a linking verb (be / seem / remain). Frequently carries a mildly critical or sympathetic tone, depending on context.