practically

From practical +‎ -ly.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɹæktɪk(ə)li/

• Audio (US):

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• Hyphenation: prac‧ti‧cal‧ly

practically (comparative more practically, superlative most practically)

1. In practice; in effect or in actuality, though possibly not officially, technically, or legally.

   Synonyms: de facto, effectively

   Coordinate term: de jure

   Stalin was not technically or legally the head of state but was practically so.

   • 1893, C. E. Akers, “The Argentine Position”, in Argentine, Patagonian, and Chilian Sketches, with a Few Notes on Uruguay.‎^[1], London: Harrison and Sons, page 12:

     It is true that the Articles of the [Argentine] Constitution promise fair conditions under which to live; but, unfortunately, the self-same Constitution, in the hands of unscrupulous administrators, becomes so elastic as to be practically a dead letter.

2. Almost completely; almost entirely.

   Near-synonyms: effectively, nearly, virtually

   He was practically uneducated, barely able to read and write a simple sentence.

   • 1898, E[merson] Hough, “The Round-Up”, in The Story of the Cowboy‎^[2], New York: D. Appleton and Company, page 153:

     If the ranchero had practically all the water near him, he had also practically all the cattle, […]

   • 1969, Robert Farrar Capon, “Living Water”, in The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection:

     The turnip is one of the lordliest vegetables in the world; its broth is practically a soup in itself.

3. With respect to practices or a practice.

   He wasn't very good with words or numbers; he was more of a practically minded person

   He was practically educated and lacked theoretical depth.

4. In a way that is practical: feasibly; unchallengingly.

   Synonym: practicably

   Coordinate term: easily

   practically achievable

• Practical-minded is nearly four times as common as practically minded in books.

• all but

• impractically