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 of virtually

• practically
• almost
• nearly

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

The thriller of a World Cup final was completely dominated by Spain, which controlled the ball from virtually the start of the match. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 July 2026

Its financial institutions are loaded with government debt that was issued with virtually no rate of interest, sharply reducing the value of that paper today. — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

At this stage of his career, Mack has garnered virtually every personal accolade imaginable. — The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 20 July 2026

The optical technology stands out with ultra-low dispersion (UD) glass elements for virtually no chromatic aberration (color fringing) and doublet field flatteners for sharp stars from edge-to-edge. — Harry Bennett, Space.com, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1b