historically

adverb

his·​tor·​i·​cal·​ly hi-ˈstȯr-i-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈstär-

1

: in accordance with or with respect to history

a historically accurate account

2

: in the past

Historically, stagnant cities seldom have recovered …

—Jane Jacobs

Examples of historically in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If City and Liverpool do make big signings — and Liverpool are still chasing Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola and have made two bids for Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh — then this summer will mean historically late spending for both. — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Economic concerns are historically a driving factor for voters, and could explain why Democrats are leading in polls while the president's approval rating remains low. — Emily R. Condon, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Its vintage experts also consider fashion history, designers, collections and cultural context when assessing whether an item is historically, culturally or stylistically significant. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026

While hay fever can occur at any time, pollen levels historically peak in the middle of spring (tree pollen) and then once again in late summer (grass) to early fall (weeds, mold). — Ron Smiley, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1