clinically

American  

[kli-nik-lee] / ˈklɪ nɪk li /

adverb

1. in a clinical way.

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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

See Examples For:

clinically

Testosterone has been clinically associated in numerous studies with physical strength, elevated red blood cell counts, higher cardiovascular capacity and aggression—all of which can help enormously in any kind of physical contest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Sinner served well to limit Zverev to only one break point, defended the baseline supremely to counter his opponent's aggressive approach and clinically took his chances when they came in the final two sets.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

“Continuity of caregivers, physical environment, and routine are not merely quality-of-life considerations for this population,” he wrote, “they are clinically meaningful protective factors.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

Many participants experienced gains large enough to be considered clinically meaningful.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 2026

I see now why he takes such a clinically distant approach to his work.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein