typically
Americanadverb
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in a way that serves as or conforms to a type.
The study examines the eating patterns of both typically developing children and those who have intellectual or developmental delays.
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commonly or characteristically.
A Florida thunderstorm typically works like this: lightning and thunder, torrential rain, gusty winds, and then it’s all over in about 5 to 10 minutes.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of typically
Explanation
Use the adverb typically when something happens in a general or usual way. The winner of the Miss America pageant, for example, is typically a very tall, slender young woman with long hair. You might say that it typically takes a year to get a driver's license in your state — in other words, that's how long it takes as a general rule or on average. Or you could say that while you don't typically enjoy short stories, you read one recently that you can't get out of your mind. The adjective typical is at the root of typically, from the Late Latin typicus, "of a type," and the Greek typos, "impression."
Vocabulary lists containing typically
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.
Typically, investors want an IPO stock to perform well, rising in its initial trading, but not by too much.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
Typically managers use Hunter Point’s NAV loans to help a portfolio company finance an acquisition, he added, particularly if the firm has fully deployed its fund’s capital.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
Typically, winds in the upper atmosphere can weaken or disperse gravity waves before they reach such heights.
From Science Daily • Jun. 3, 2026
Typically, financial advisers say you should hold 2% to 10% of your net worth in cash.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
Typically, people are released from prison with only the clothes on their backs and a pittance in gate money.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
