virtually

adverb

vir·​tu·​al·​ly ˈvər-chə-wə-lē 

-chə-lē;

ˈvərch-wə-lē

1

a

: almost entirely : nearly

The project is virtually complete.

Virtually every applicant was overqualified for the job.

b

: for all practical purposes

She was virtually unknown prior to starring in the film.

It is virtually impossible to know the truth of the matter.

2

: by means of a computer or computer network : in a virtual location

The meeting is being held virtually.

They did all their shopping virtually.

Synonyms

• about
• all but
• almost
• borderline
• fair [chiefly British]
• fairly
• feckly [chiefly Scottish]
• more or less
• most
• much
• near
• nearly
• next to
• nigh
• practically
• somewhere
• well-nigh

Examples of virtually in a Sentence

We spent virtually all day shopping.

The stadium was virtually empty by the time the game ended.

I remember virtually everything he said.

That illness is virtually unknown in this area.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hernandez hit in the middle of the Dodgers' order virtually all season long, consistently coming through when the team needed him to. —Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024

Werner Herzog achieves a remarkable balancing act of unshakeable (and periodically shot-for-shot) fealty to the source material while complicating its themes and virtually every character. —Elle Carroll, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024

Free tuition was supported by virtually every demographic group, with one exception: Republicans. —George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024

Mbappé has been virtually ever-present when available for Real Madrid since arriving. —Sam Leveridge, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1b