virtual

adjective

vir·​tu·​al ˈvər-chə-wəl 

-chəl;

ˈvərch-wəl

1

: being such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted

a virtual dictator

2

: being on or simulated on a computer or computer network

print or virtual books

a virtual keyboard

: such as

a

: occurring or existing primarily online

virtual shopping

b

: of, relating to, or existing within a virtual reality

a virtual tour

3

: of, relating to, or using virtual memory

4

: of, relating to, or being a hypothetical particle whose existence is inferred from indirect evidence

virtual photons

compare real sense 3

Examples of virtual in a Sentence

The website provides a virtual tour of the stadium.

Recent Examples on the Web

The two sides held more talks in a virtual meeting on Thursday, attended by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Vietnam's trade ministry said in a statement. —Arkansas Online, 21 June 2025

What the two of them conceived for what would be called 28 Years Later… was the notion of a community living in virtual isolation on a place called Holy Island on the Northern coast of England. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2025

While earlier research regarded the collision as a virtual certainty within five or six billion years, new research questions that. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 21 June 2025

Establishing a virtual bank is a major diversification move for Charoen Pokphand, Thailand’s largest conglomerate with interests in agribusiness, food, retail, e-commerce, fintech, media, real estate and telecommunications. —Phisanu Phromchanya, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, efficacious, potential, from Medieval Latin virtualis, from Latin virtus strength, virtue

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing virtual

• virtual colonoscopy
• virtual image
• virtual memory
• virtual private network
• virtual reality

Kids Definition

virtual

adjective

vir·​tu·​al ˈvərch-(ə-)wəl 

ˈvər-chəl

: being in effect but not in fact or name

a virtual dictator

: being on or simulated on a computer or computer network

a virtual classroom

virtually

-ē

adverb