physically
Americanadverb
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relating to the body or its appearance.
He is not physically attractive.
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according to what exists in the physical world as perceived by the senses.
It's not physically possible because of the laws of gravity.
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in a way that involves rough body contact or strenuous physical activity: a physically demanding sport.
a physically abusive spouse;
a physically demanding sport.
Etymology
Origin of physically
First recorded in 1580–90; physical ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
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.
She knew CPR and intensive-care procedures and, according to her husband, was physically fit.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
But new research suggests animals are responding not only to the environments we build, but also to the simple fact that people are physically nearby.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026
“It’s like, I physically lost my parents, and then Nick was arrested. Now it’s just me and Romy, and we have to navigate this by ourselves essentially.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
The usual course of treatment involves physically draining rounds of chemotherapy and radiation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
For Morgan, this genetic linkage could only mean one thing: genes had to be physically linked to each other.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
