PRACTICALLY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does practically mean? 

• PRACTICALLY (adverb)
  The adverb PRACTICALLY has 3 senses:

1. almost; nearly

2. in a practical manner

3. (degree adverb used before a noun phrase) for all practical purposes but not completely

  Familiarity information: PRACTICALLY used as an adverb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PRACTICALLY (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Almost; nearly

Context example:

there was practically no garden at all

Sense 2

Meaning:

In a practical manner

Context example:

a brilliant man but so practically inept that he needed help to cross the road safely

Pertainym:

practical (concerned with actual use or practice)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(degree adverb used before a noun phrase) for all practical purposes but not completely

Synonyms:

much; practically

Context example:

practically everything in Hinduism is the manifestation of a god

 Context examples 

The seals had started on their great southern migration, and the rookery was practically deserted.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Technically, no doubt, but practically not.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

However, Mars does not retain enough carbon dioxide that could practically be put back into the atmosphere to warm Mars.

(Mars Terraforming Not Possible Using Present-Day Technology, NASA)

White Fang had practically ceased struggling.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Savers consume very little energy in their activities and, therefore, the difference between sitting/lying or standing is practically nil for them.

(Spending more time standing helps increase energy expenditure and combats the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, University of Granada)

Cancer treatment still follows a practically medieval method of cut, burn or poison.

(‘Energetic Cancer Cells’ May Be Origin of Cancer Spread, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Because EBV is most often encountered in early childhood, avoiding infection is practically impossible.

(Epstein-Barr virus protein can “switch on” risk genes for autoimmune diseases, National Institutes of Health)

It is therefore surprising that catalysis, which is known to be so useful in so many fields, is practically unheard-of in oncology.

(Scientists successfully deliver “Trojan horse” catalysts into cancerous tumour cells to destroy them from within, Universities of Granada)

But the Outside dogs, though practically broken in since their landing, did not amount to much.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

A synthetic, white crystalline solid that is practically insoluble in water and soluble in ether, chloroform, carbon disulfide, benzene, alcohol and acetone.

(Paradichlorobenzene, NCI Thesaurus)