so to speak
In a sense
So to speak signals that a word or phrase is being used loosely, figuratively, or metaphorically rather than literally.
It acknowledges that the expression isn't quite precise but serves the purpose: He's the captain of the ship, so to speak—not literally, but he runs the department.
The phrase often appears after an unconventional metaphor or when the speaker anticipates the listener might take something too literally.
- as it wereQualifier for imprecision
- figurativelyIn non-literal terms
- if you willPhrase hedging word choice
- if you likeIndicating optional preference
- metaphoricallySymbolically, not literally
air quotes · allusion · rhetorical device · turn of phrase · quasi · phraseology · colloquialism · idiom · euphemism · saying · implication · practically · that is to say · as they say · roughly · virtually · more or less · essentially
- phrasesnoun phrases, noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, prepositional phrases
- clarifiersi.e., e.g., namely, meaning, specifically
- evasionsno comment, dodge, deflection, hedging, equivocation
- approximationsabout, approximately, around, roughly, almost
- filler wordsum, uh, er, hmm, ah
so to speakliterally
In exact terms
in fact · actually · precisely · exactly · strictly speaking
so to speakin no uncertain terms
With complete clarity
unequivocally · in all seriousness · make no mistake · bluntly · plainly
speak, speech, speaker, spoken, speaking, speaks, so-so, so-called