typically
Americanadverb
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in a way that serves as or conforms to a type.
The study examines the eating patterns of both typically developing children and those who have intellectual or developmental delays.
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commonly or characteristically.
A Florida thunderstorm typically works like this: lightning and thunder, torrential rain, gusty winds, and then it’s all over in about 5 to 10 minutes.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of typically
Explanation
Use the adverb typically when something happens in a general or usual way. The winner of the Miss America pageant, for example, is typically a very tall, slender young woman with long hair. You might say that it typically takes a year to get a driver's license in your state — in other words, that's how long it takes as a general rule or on average. Or you could say that while you don't typically enjoy short stories, you read one recently that you can't get out of your mind. The adjective typical is at the root of typically, from the Late Latin typicus, "of a type," and the Greek typos, "impression."
Vocabulary lists containing typically
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.
Companies are also dabbling with artificial intelligence to see if AI can replace some jobs, particularly entry-level positions typically filled by young people.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
The closest 99 Ranch supermarkets to Chinatown typically require a car ride to Monterey Park or Alhambra — a trek many elders can’t make on their own.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Even so, the cancer returns in most cases and typically spreads throughout the abdominal cavity.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
Disposals are typically replaced every eight years, he said, making them a steady source of revenue even when the economy isn’t doing well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
He told the navy secretary that the Osage, whose warriors typically stood well over six feet tall, were the “finest men we have ever seen.”
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
