The adverb virtually is an intensifier used to express approximation or degree. It signifies that something is "almost," "nearly," or "for all practical purposes" true, even if it is not 100% accurate in a literal sense. It is a high-utility word that allows a writer to make a broad claim while maintaining a sliver of technical accuracy.
These examples are sourced from virtually on Ludwig.guru.
"In the second day of hearings on Tuesday, the judges described the two-year-old law as fundamentally changing the relationship between the individual and the government, giving Congress virtually unlimited power to force people to buy products for their own good." — theguardian.com
"He adds: "Sales volumes are currently so low that the monthly house price statistics from any one single lender are virtually meaningless, and if you look at Nationwide's latest quarterly data, it in fact shows a 4% decline on the previous quarter"." — theguardian.com
"Simeone wanted to sign Torres last summer; six months later he has succeeded for a price that makes it virtually a no-risk move." — theguardian.com
"The international rules are expected to be exceedingly weak, with virtually all of the airplanes flying today making the grade, which means ICAO is unlikely to deliver any real reductions on greenhouse gas emissions." — theguardian.com
"I eventually got virtually all I wanted because the development of it was so complicated that neither Margaret nor her ministers could read a 40-page proposal on the curriculum content for science or history or English." — theguardian.com
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/virtually
| Phrase | Context |
|---|---|
| practically | The closest synonym; slightly more common in everyday spoken English. |
| almost | The most neutral and common alternative for any context. |
| nearly | Often used with numbers, distances, or time. |
| all but | An idiomatic way to say something is virtually certain (e.g., "the race is all but over"). |
| effectively | Used when something is not officially true, but the result is the same. |
| largely | Shorter and more neutral; works in both spoken and written registers. |
| to a great extent | More formal; typically used in academic or analytical writing. |
| Expression | Function | Register | Typical Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtually | Expresses near-completeness or approximation | Neutral to Formal | Mid-position (before adjectives/verbs) |
The adverb virtually most naturally occupies the mid-position, appearing directly before the adjective or quantifier it modifies. In sentences with a verb, it is typically placed after the first auxiliary verb or before the main verb. Placing it at the beginning or end of a sentence is rare and often sounds unidiomatic.
While both words are often interchangeable, virtually is slightly more formal and common in written journalism and academic texts. Practically is more frequently used in casual speech and can sometimes carry a secondary meaning related to realism or logic. In most contexts of "nearly," however, they function as direct synonyms.
No, and this is a common point of confusion for learners. While "virtual" in computing refers to digital reality, the adverb virtually functions as a synonym for practically or almost, not "in fact." Unlike literally, which emphasizes that something is exactly true, virtually admits that something is just short of being 100% true.
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