clinically
Americanadverb
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Changes in immune activity could also prove important if future research shows that these effects are reliable and clinically meaningful.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
An FDA advisory committee weighed in last week, voting 10 to 3 that Replimune’s trial results were clinically meaningful.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
People whose disease remained clinically stable tended to have genetically 'steady' blood cell populations that acquired few or no additional mutations.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 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
"If I were spending a month alone," Hannah said yesterday, "I would start a meditation practice. It's clinically proven to lower blood pressure and boost brain activity. It even helps your immune system."
From "We Are Okay" by Nina LaCour
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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.