physical
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the body.
physical exercise.
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of or relating to that which is material.
the physical universe; the physical sciences.
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noting or pertaining to the properties of matter and energy other than those peculiar to living matter.
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pertaining to the physical sciences, especially physics.
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carnal; sexual.
a physical attraction.
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tending to touch, hug, pat, etc.; physically demonstrative.
a physical person.
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requiring, characterized by, or liking rough physical contact or strenuous physical activity.
Football is a physical sport.
noun
adjective
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of or relating to the body, as distinguished from the mind or spirit
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of, relating to, or resembling material things or nature
the physical universe
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involving or requiring bodily contact
rugby is a physical sport
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of or concerned with matter and energy
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of or relating to physics
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perceptible to the senses; apparent
a physical manifestation
noun
Synonym Usage
Physical, bodily, corporeal, corporal agree in pertaining to the body. Physical indicates connected with, pertaining to, the animal or human body as a material organism: physical strength, exercise. Bodily means belonging to, concerned with, the human body as distinct from the mind or spirit: bodily pain or suffering. Corporeal, a more poetic and philosophical word than bodily, refers especially to the mortal substance of which the human body is composed as opposed to spirit: this corporeal habitation. Corporal is now usually reserved for reference to whippings and other punishments inflicted on the human body.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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antiphysicalnessnoun
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physicalnessnoun
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antiphysicaladjective
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nonphysicaladjective
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quasi-physicaladjective
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transphysicaladjective
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unphysicaladjective
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antiphysicallyadverb
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nonphysicallyadverb
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physicallyadverb
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quasi-physicallyadverb
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transphysicallyadverb
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unphysicallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of physical
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin physicālis “concerning medicine.” See physic, -al 1
Explanation
When something is physical it's really there. You can see it, touch it, taste it, hear it, or smell it. The physical world is all of the stuff around you. When your doctor performs a physical, he or she is checking out your physical self. They're probably going to take your temperature, draw blood and listen to your heart and lungs. You may be asked a mental health question or two, but they're not going to ask you how you feel about God or what the meaning of life is. In physical education, you do physical activity. You move your body to make it healthier.
Vocabulary lists containing physical
Introduction to Informational Text
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"Glencoe Accounting: Real-World Applications & Connections," Vocabulary from Chapter 4
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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.
See Examples For:
The government has tasked the military to use drones to scan the rooftops of homes, schools and construction sites, and deployed police officers to go to people's homes for physical inspections,
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Adoption of e-readers like the Kindle and Kobo didn’t replace physical books; and despite the shuttering of mass-market chains like Borders, Waldenbooks and B. Dalton, the last 30 years have seen a reading boom.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
An early UN damage assessment, released about a week after the quakes, estimated direct physical damage from the disaster was far higher, putting it at $37 billion.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
In February, Hyundai unveiled a multibillion-dollar investment plan to advance physical AI in South Korea.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
The long journey has compromised the Collective’s physical state.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Founded in 1778, the luxury outpost has hosted U.S. presidents, royalty and the rich and famous who now come for golf and $3,500 executive physicals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026
The White House typically releases physician-written memos summarizing presidential physicals, translating full medical records into condensed clinical findings for public release.
From Salon ● May 31, 2026
The White House normally releases a summary of presidential physicals within hours or days, but the extent of the detail it gives is entirely at its own discretion.
From Barron's ● May 26, 2026
So I do two physicals a year, and I’ve been doing that forever.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026
We both pass our physicals later that afternoon, but we don’t talk about basketball.
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
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.
