Standard Lemma guide

virtually

adv · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈvɚ.t͡ʃə.wə.li/
  • General-American: /ˈvɝt͡ʃuəli/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈvɜːt͡ʃʊəli/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈvɜːt͡ʃəli/
  • Canada: /ˈvɝt͡ʃuəli/
  • Australian: /ˈvɜːt͡ʃʉəli/
  • New-Zealand: /ˈvɵːt͡ʃʉəli/
  • New-Zealand: /ˈvɵːt͡ʃəli/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: V ER1 CH UW0 AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: V ER1 CH UW0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Almost but not quite.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • With our Medicare supplemental insurance plan, there are virtually no claim forms to fill out. (Advertisement)

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: as good as, more or less, nearly, practically

Antonyms: actually

2

adv

Meaning 2

In essence or functionally, but not in fact, formally, or technically.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • virtually a member of the family

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: effectively, practically

Antonyms: none provided

3

adv

Meaning 3

Of a subgroup of finite index.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: algebra, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

Of a covering space of finite degree.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematics, sciences, topology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adv

Meaning 5

By computer or in cyberspace.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cyberly, digitally

Antonyms: none provided

6

adverb

Meaning 6

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the job is (just) about done
  • the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded
  • we're almost finished
  • the car all but ran her down
  • he nearly fainted
  • talked for nigh onto 2 hours
  • the recording is well-nigh perfect
  • virtually all the parties signed the contract
  • I was near exhausted by the run
  • most everyone agrees

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: about, almost, most, nearly, near, nigh, well-nigh

Antonyms: none provided

7

adverb

Meaning 7

in essence or effect but not in fact

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the strike virtually paralyzed the city
  • I'm virtually broke

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English vertually; equivalent to virtual + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

58 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: почти (počti) — almost
  • Danish: praktisk talt — almost
  • Dutch: nagenoeg — almost
  • Dutch: quasi — almost
  • Dutch: praktisch — almost
  • Finnish: käytännössä — almost
  • Finnish: käytännöllisesti katsoen — almost
  • Finnish: lähes — almost
  • Finnish: melkein — almost
  • Finnish: likimainkaan — almost
  • French: quasiment — almost
  • French: pratiquement — almost
  • French: pour ainsi dire — almost
  • Galician: practicamente — almost
  • Georgian: ფაქტობრივად (pakṭobrivad) — almost
  • Georgian: ნამდვილად (namdvilad) — almost
  • German: nahezu — almost
  • German: praktisch — almost
  • Hungarian: jóformán — almost
  • Hungarian: úgyszólván — almost
  • Hungarian: gyakorlatilag — almost
  • Hungarian: majdnem — almost
  • Hungarian: majdhogynem — almost
  • Hungarian: szinte — almost
  • Ido: virtuale — almost
  • Italian: praticamente — almost
  • Norwegian Bokmål: praktisk talt — almost
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: praktisk talt — almost
  • Polish: praktycznie — almost
  • Portuguese: praticamente — almost
  • Romanian: practic — almost
  • Russian: практически (praktičeski) — almost
  • Spanish: prácticamente — almost
  • Swedish: i princip — almost
  • Swedish: så gott som — almost
  • Ukrainian: практи́чно (praktýčno) — almost
  • Ukrainian: факти́чно (faktýčno) — almost
  • Vietnamese: hầu như — almost
  • Vietnamese: gần như — almost
  • Galician: practicamente — literally — see also literally
  • Galician: na práctica — literally — see also literally
  • Hungarian: valósággal — literally — see also literally
  • Hungarian: ténylegesen — literally — see also literally
  • Vietnamese: thực ra — literally — see also literally
  • Vietnamese: thực sự — literally — see also literally
  • Bulgarian: виртуално (virtualno) — in essence, but not in fact
  • Catalan: virtualment — in essence, but not in fact
  • Czech: v podstatě — in essence, but not in fact
  • Finnish: käytännössä — in essence, but not in fact
  • Finnish: käytännöllisesti katsoen — in essence, but not in fact
  • French: virtuellement — in essence, but not in fact
  • Galician: practicamente — in essence, but not in fact
  • Galician: na práctica — in essence, but not in fact
  • Hungarian: virtuálisan — in essence, but not in fact
  • Ido: virtuale — in essence, but not in fact
  • Portuguese: virtualmente — in essence, but not in fact
  • Romanian: în mod virtual — in essence, but not in fact
  • Vietnamese: đại khái — in essence, but not in fact
Real reading context

virtually in complete knowledge articles