officially
Britishadverb
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in a formal or authoritative manner
the Queen officially opened the dome
-
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.
Infantino has never been shy about pushing boundaries despite heading a Swiss-based organization that, its wealth notwithstanding, is officially a nonprofit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
While intervention from the BOJ hasn’t been officially confirmed, Insight Investment expects some comment from Japanese officials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
This is because it uses the same platform as the only officially licenced Ebola vaccine Ervebo, which targets a different strain called Zaire.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
However, with more than half of England and parts of Wales officially in drought, the coming days are unlikely to bring any rain to the driest areas of the country.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
We haven’t even officially “opened” yet, and already there are people milling around.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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.
