officially
Britishadverb
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in a formal or authoritative manner
the Queen officially opened the dome
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in a way that is formally acknowledged but is not necessarily the case
officially on the dole but actually holding a job
Explanation
If something's done officially, it's done formally, often with the backing of some kind of authority, like a government. You might be elected president in November, but you won't officially take office until January of the following year. The adverb officially can describe something that's done publicly in an official and formal way. A company's CEO may officially resign after speculation about money laundering became public. An advertising campaign might officially launch with a Super Bowl ad. Officially can also describe something authorized by a government or other organization with authority. The government may officially announce that unemployment has decreased in the last six months.
Vocabulary lists containing officially
Lesson 5
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Excerpt from "Kira-Kira"
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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.
As Season 3 opens, the wild dragon has yet to be officially introduced by name, although he makes his first appearance in the second season finale.
From Salon • Jun. 24, 2026
Their condition "slightly deteriorated during the flight", after which they were immediately isolated and taken into care upon landing in Paris, even before the disease was officially identified, the ministry added.
From Barron's • Jun. 24, 2026
The house never officially hit the market, so details are scarce.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
The Big Tech grouping officially fell into correction territory on Tuesday as mounting concerns about AI spending weighed down the group.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026
“Her flight is officially booked for next month. She’s going to stay with us for a whole week.”
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
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.
