clinically
Americanadverb
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On New Year's Eve of 2019 Sandra McCartney was clinically dead for 10 minutes.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
His team is run clinically, analytically—modern but a little soulless.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Little separated the pair in the third set, but the veteran struck again at 5-4 on Zverev's serve to clinically seal victory.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
That test still requires further validation before it could be used clinically.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
Its cell-destroying capacity is now clinically utilized in the treatment of a rare type of cancer which develops in the adrenal gland.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
