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publicly

American  
[puhb-lik-lee] / ˈpʌb lɪk li /

adverb

  1. in a public or open manner or place.

  2. by the public.

  3. in the name of the community.

  4. by public action or consent.

publicly British  
/ ˈpʌblɪklɪ /

adverb

  1. in a public manner; without concealment; openly

  2. in the name or with the consent of the public

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of publicly

First recorded in 1925–30; public + -ly

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.

Publicly acknowledge the people who speak truth to power.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

Publicly traded private-credit funds managed by Blue Owl and Blackstone, for example, recently have announced new buyback authorizations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

Publicly available images paint a picture of daily life in the town's sports hall, where schoolchildren played volleyball tournaments and students sat exams.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Publicly traded loan funds trade below 80% of their book value, while nontraded funds can’t fill all the redemption requests.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

Publicly, however, the parking meter had to stay so long as the mayor, the council, and the police force were locked in a life-and-death struggle with Onofre Martinez.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

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.