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.
For simplicity’s sake, I typically use the example of receiving $1,000 a month at full retirement age.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 29, 2026
Analysts typically lower them during the quarter, which helps most companies later report a positive “surprise.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026
Asked what his memories of the moment were, in typically understated fashion he remembers "hitting an approach shot with my forehand into Raonic's backhand and him missing the passing shot into the net".
From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026
It typically takes baby eagles 10 to 14 weeks to fledge.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2026
These fictional dramas, like the evening news, tend to focus on individual stories of crime, victimization, and punishment, and the stories are typically told from the point of view of law enforcement.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
