officially
Britishadverb
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in a formal or authoritative manner
the Queen officially opened the dome
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in a way that is formally acknowledged but is not necessarily the case
officially on the dole but actually holding a job
Explanation
If something's done officially, it's done formally, often with the backing of some kind of authority, like a government. You might be elected president in November, but you won't officially take office until January of the following year. The adverb officially can describe something that's done publicly in an official and formal way. A company's CEO may officially resign after speculation about money laundering became public. An advertising campaign might officially launch with a Super Bowl ad. Officially can also describe something authorized by a government or other organization with authority. The government may officially announce that unemployment has decreased in the last six months.
Vocabulary lists containing officially
Lesson 5
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Excerpt from "Kira-Kira"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Officially, China hasn’t logged any imports of Iranian oil since 2022.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
Officially at least, the party wants to bring down the age of retirement to 62.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Appeared in the May 9, 2026, print edition as 'The World Has Officially Reached Peak Bagel'.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
Officially established in 2021, the European Public Prosecutor's Office is an independent EU body responsible for combating fraud against the Union's funds and any other offences affecting its financial interests.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
Officially, I stayed all day with a lady from down the road, but unofficially, Lynn was the one who took care of me.
From "Kira-Kira" by Cynthia Kadohata
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
