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.
Some of that amount – about $700 million – had not yet been officially imposed by courts because the clemency came through so quickly.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
When the playoffs officially begin on Tuesday, they will feature the most explosive matchup in the sport: Red Sox-Yankees for a best-of-three series in the Bronx.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
It is also alleged the club gave players more money than was officially going through the accounts so recorded spending was less than it actually was.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
The first truck rolled off the high-volume production line in April and volume production officially began Thursday, according to the company.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
Although the United States was still officially neutral, it was lending aid to Britain, then under Nazi assault by air and sea.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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.
