typically

American  

[tip-i-klee] / ˈtɪp ɪ kli /

adverb

1. 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.

2. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• nontypically adverb
• quasi-typically adverb
• untypically adverb

Etymology

Origin of typically

typical ( def. ) + -ly

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."

Example Sentences

Public company boards typically bar top executives from taking significant stakes in outside ventures, and they award them with generous compensation packages, including equity shares, that are tied to future stock performance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

It typically produces about 50% of the state's fuel and 10% of the nation's.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

While such storms are typically hundreds of miles south of California, the state could still experience remnants of those systems, as it did with Hilary in 2023, Swain said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Many of my patients are older and highly educated, typically in the fields of law, education, and economics, given our location.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

Then I did something I don’t typically do: I prayed.

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone

Related Words

• commonly
• consistently
• customarily
• frequently
• generally
• mostly
• naturally
• normally
• occasionally
• often
• ordinarily
• regularly
• routinely
• sometimes