socially
Americanadverb
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in the friendly company of others; in a genial or gregarious manner.
We met through mutual friends who gather socially several times a month.
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in a manner that relates to human society and its configuration as a community.
Her art strives to be both beautifully evocative and socially responsible.
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in a manner that relates to the division of human society into classes according to status.
Socially and economically, these children are repressed by disadvantages we cannot imagine.
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with attention or regard to rules about behavior.
In my day, carousing on a Sunday was socially unacceptable.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of socially
First recorded in 1610–30; social ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
Anything described as happening socially has to do with society and how people interact. Someone who’s socially gifted goes to all the parties. That person would never do something socially unacceptable, like jump to the front of the line. People live in societies, and social things have to do with people interacting. Therefore, anything described as happening socially involves people’s involvement with each other. A socially active person spends a lot of time with other people. Someone who is socially awkward has trouble communicating. Someone socially conscious is interested in helping other people. Since social media has become popular, this word increasingly applies to online social networks. For example, someone socially invisible might not use the Internet.
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.
Technology also can make people feel more socially isolated.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
Flavio’s candidacy has been presented as a less extreme and more socially normative version of his father’s policies, according to Dorson.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
These same patterns held true when the overall group of respondents was divided another way: ones who felt more socially pressured to give and others who felt less.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
It was an unforgettable showcase for O’Flynn, who up to that point had been mostly on the edges of the action as a socially awkward and endearing mayoral assistant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
We stare at each other for a few more seconds than is socially acceptable.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
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.
