systematically
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of systematically
First recorded in 1640–50; systematic ( def. ) + -ally ( def. )
Explanation
If you do something systematically, you do it in an orderly, methodical way. Someone who systematically records her dreams is careful to write them in a notebook every single morning. Use the adverb systematically when you describe something that's carried out in a deliberate way, especially following a plan. You might systematically memorize every word in the dictionary, starting with A and working your way through the alphabet, or watch a toddler systematically pick up one Cheerio at a time from his bowl and throw it on the floor. Systematically and systematic come from a Greek root, systematikos, or "combined in a whole."
Vocabulary lists containing systematically
Hard Times
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ly
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South of Somewhere
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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.
When the guilty verdicts were announced, Richard Masters, the Premier League's chief executive, said the club had "systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
He said City "systematically broke Premier League rules for nearly a decade" and said the league was committed to a swift resolution.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
And when you’re talking about third places, it’s worth remembering we’ve systematically defunded after-school programs, orchestras, art programs, senior centers.
From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026
But Olivier Blanchard and two co-authors find their ratings don’t systematically incorporate key drivers of default, including the budget deficit excluding interest, and the spread between interest and growth rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
The problem was that no one was systematically recording them.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
