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nominally

American

[nom-uh-nl-ee] / ˈnɒm ə nl i /

adverb

by or as regards name; in name; ostensibly.

He was nominally the leader, but others actually ran the organization.

Etymology

Origin of nominally

First recorded in 1655–65; nominal + -ly

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.

Despite an income transfer to the energy sector, personal income is up 4.5% nominally versus inflation’s nearly 3% clip.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

She knows her craft and is nominally proud of belonging to a union.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026

“Hercules,” with a secular story drawn from Greek mythology, is nominally an oratorio—it was unstaged at its London premiere and carries a moral lesson—but it is highly theatrical.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

It’s nominally about former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara and the Vietnam War, but Rhodes clearly intends the contemporary resonance:

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

His flat, round pieces were the color of old, dirty wood, nominally white.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023