Library / English Dictionary

VIRTUALLY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (adverb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

Example:

most everyone agrees

Synonyms:

about; almost; most; near; nearly; nigh; virtually; well-nigh

Classified under:

Adverbs

Sense 2

Meaning:

In essence or effect but not in fact

Example:

I'm virtually broke

Classified under:

Adverbs

Pertainym:

virtual (existing in essence or effect though not in actual fact)

Credits

 Context examples: 

It allows “virtually weekly” harvests, with a productivity rate up to 30 times as high as the biomass made from land vegetables.

(Petrobras considers producing biodiesel from microalgae, Agência Brasil)

The structure of the mammary gland is virtually identical in previously pregnant (or “parous”) and never-pregnant (non-parous) animals.

(Mammary Gland May Have Epigenetic Memory, NIH)

The Bichon Frise has a loosely curled double coat consisting of a textured outer coat lined with a soft, fine, silky undercoat that is virtually hypo-allergenic.

(Bichon Frise, NCI Thesaurus)

Unicellular, prokaryotic organisms that reproduce by cell division and usually have cell walls; can be shaped like spheres, rods or spirals and can be found in virtually any environment.

(Bacteria, NCI Thesaurus)

Since COX-1 is expressed virtually in all tissues, inhibition of COX-1 enzyme by this agent prevents normal state production of prostaglandins, which plays housekeeping roles in the protection of the gastrointestinal tract, regulating renal blood flow, and functioning in platelet aggregation.

(Ketorolac Tromethamine, NCI Thesaurus)

CD45 is tyrosine phosphatase expressed on virtually all leukocytes, including myeloid and lymphoid precursors in bone marrow and mature lymphocytes in lymph nodes; it is also expressed on most myeloid and lymphoid leukemic cells, but not on mature erythrocytes or platelets.

(iodine I 131 monoclonal antibody BC8, NCI Thesaurus)

Whether they like it or not, they are virtually put upon the shelf as soon as the wedding excitement is over, and most of them might exclaim, as did a very pretty woman the other day, I'm as handsome as ever, but no one takes any notice of me because I'm married.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Virtually, an old married woman.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)