physically
Americanadverb
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relating to the body or its appearance.
He is not physically attractive.
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according to what exists in the physical world as perceived by the senses.
It's not physically possible because of the laws of gravity.
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in a way that involves rough body contact or strenuous physical activity: a physically demanding sport.
a physically abusive spouse;
a physically demanding sport.
Etymology
Origin of physically
First recorded in 1580–90; physical ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
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.
"Physically, I can't do what I used to be able to do but I've realised that some things are more important in life."
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Physically, both Quijada and Robinson’s characters have to pick up a guitar, record it, then play the drum set and run to the bass.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
Physically, he is not able to live independently, but was or is pretty sharp mentally.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026
"Physically, it's a little bit of a warm-up... That's why I decided to help somehow. For myself and for the sake of flowers."
From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026
Physically she'd been stitched up more times than the original flag, but mentally nothing seemed to touch her.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
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.
