technically
Americanadverb
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in a way that is peculiar to a certain specialized field of study or activity.
The part of the body that relates to the saddle on a conventional machine is technically termed the perineum.
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with regard to the detailed formal skills and competencies expected in the practice of a particular art or sport.
There are many artists who study hard and become technically proficient, but they don't touch people in the way that a few great artists have.
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in a way that relies on a strict interpretation of words or rules.
Today (well, technically yesterday, as it's now 3 a.m.) I went to the immigration office to see what was holding things up.
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in a way that has to do with technology or the trades as opposed to academics or the arts.
If you are technically inclined, you can build a lighting system yourself with some good LED lights and a car battery.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of technically
Explanation
Something technically true is actually, really true or correct but it may not be the way people think about it. For example, although people call a tomato a vegetable, technically it’s a fruit. A birth father may technically be your father — according to a DNA test — but if you've lived with a stepfather your whole life, he’s your dad. Things that are technically true fulfill some exact requirement. Technically, a swing set might be in your neighbor’s yard, but since their kids are grown up, they consider it yours.
Vocabulary lists containing technically
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
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Ghost
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Guts
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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.
Technically, it’s Year 3, but after a torn ACL derailed her as a rookie two summers ago, it’s practically like Year 2 for the former Stanford star.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2026
Technically, when Blanche promised lawmakers the anti-weaponization fund would not be moving forward, he was not under oath.
From Slate • Jun. 4, 2026
Technically excellent, positionally outstanding and ice-cold from the kicking tee.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
Technically, there’s no such thing as a newcomer tax.
From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026
Technically, Benji had never said a word about the challenge to anyone.
From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty
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.
