publicly

adverb

pub·​lic·​ly ˈpə-bli-klē How to pronounce publicly (audio)
variants or less commonly publically
Synonyms of publiclynext
1
: in a manner observable by or in a place accessible to the public : openly
2
a
: by the people generally
b
: by a government

Examples of publicly in a Sentence

She very publicly acknowledged her mistake. The information is publicly available. The policies have been publicly approved.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
No cause of death has been publicly revealed. Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 Polymarket officials say little publicly and didn't comment for this story. ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026 In response, Iranian officials have publicly threatened to sink American ships and stop transit through a second major waterway, the Red Sea. Joe Walsh, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026 After years making other kinds of headlines in their community, their split is now playing out publicly as Mike fights to have the court enforce the couple’s prenuptial agreement, which would pay Constance a lump sum of $1 million. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for publicly

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of publicly was in 1534

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Publicly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/publicly. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.

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