clinically

American  

[kli-nik-lee] / ˈklɪ nɪk li /

adverb

1. in a clinical way.

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Explanation

When a medication has been clinically proven, it's been tested on actual patients. Clinically can also describe a cold and detached manner, a personality better suited to robots than people. It's a good thing when doctors and scientists do things clinically, because they're not only using studies and statistics to make decisions — they're talking to and observing patients. On the other hand, when a doctor treats you clinically at your yearly appointment, she is efficient but aloof, rather than warm and welcoming. Clinically is from clinical, from the Latin clinicus, "physician who visits patients in their beds," with the Greek root klinike, "at the sickbed."

Example Sentences

It stated the mask was "clinically proven to reduce wrinkles in four weeks" but the advertising watchdog said it did not provide enough evidence to support this claim.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

The absence of specific results should be seen as confirmation that no clinically meaningful abnormalities were identified, the White House statement said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

The hope is that this line of research will eventually move from promising laboratory results toward clinically meaningful treatments for people living with neurological disease.

From Science Daily • May 27, 2026

“It was impressive to see that every dose of retatrutide resulted in clinically meaningful weight reduction for nearly all participants,” said lead investigator Ania Jastreboff, a professor at the Yale School of Medicine.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Fischer hid the fact from everyone, as well, that he may have been clinically ill during the summit attempt.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer