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 company got going initially as an online retailer offering customers a 3D feature to try on the glasses virtually. — Anu Raghunathan, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Ireland, for example, joined Spain in backing South Africa’s genocide claim against Israel at the International Court of Justice, a much-ballyhooed effort that has had virtually no effect on Israeli policy. — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

While rains in Texas have helped regenerate rangeland, virtually everywhere else in the West and Southwest is still very dry. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Aug. 2026

Shifting control That stands in stark contrast to a month ago, when Kpler observed virtually no shipping traffic via the Omani route. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1b