typically
Americanadverb
-
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.
-
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.
The rare respiratory disease, for which there is no cure, typically spreads through the urine, feces and saliva of infected rodents.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
Investors, though, typically demand higher yields to hold longer-term bonds, due to the risk that inflation and interest rates could surge unexpectedly in the future.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Whether they spend weekends at a high-end golf club or taking low-cost hikes could provide clues about how much slack they typically have in their monthly budget.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
Petition circulators are typically paid per signature of registered voter they collect.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
A rare white-eyed fly appeared spontaneously among the typically red-eyed flies.
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.
