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

It stated the mask was "clinically proven to reduce wrinkles in four weeks" but the advertising watchdog said it did not provide enough evidence to support this claim.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

The absence of specific results should be seen as confirmation that no clinically meaningful abnormalities were identified, the White House statement said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

Test results from federally certified labs must be accurate but not necessarily clinically meaningful or actionable.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Even in the pivotal clinical trials, not all participants ended up with clinically meaningful weight loss, which is considered 5% from baseline.

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

In books they always seemed to describe it clinically and technically.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen