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

• about
• all but
• almost
• borderline
• fair [chiefly British]
• fairly
• feckly [chiefly Scottish]
• more or less
• most
• much
• near
• nearly
• next to
• nigh
• practically
• somewhere
• well-nigh

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

Despite the current tension between the White House and virtually all U.S.-trade partners, both Trump and Meloni expressed confidence during their working lunch that a new trade deal would be renegotiated between the U.S. and the EU. —Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 17 Apr. 2025

Because the boat is above the water's surface, and the engine and foil are below, hydrofoils provide extremely smooth rides, and are virtually immune to the water's chop. —Michael Franco, New Atlas, 17 Apr. 2025

Fans can virtually place themselves in any seat in the stadium or even on the field itself, bringing an entirely new dimension to watching sports. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025

Relocating around a million samples in a day would be virtually impossible, the scientists said. —Chiara Eisner, NPR, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1b