virtually — English Dictionary

Adverb

1. Almost but not quite.

   Synonyms

   as good asmore or lessnearlypractically

   Antonyms

   actually

   Examples

   With our Medicare supplemental insurance plan, there are virtually no claim forms to fill out. (Advertisement)

   More examples (2)

   By surviving the first six minutes Hargreaves matched the total amount of playing time he had managed previously in virtually three years - and by scoring his first goal since April 2008 he set the hosts on their way to a fifth win of the season in all competitions.

   Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.

2. In essence or functionally, but not in fact, formally, or technically.

   Synonyms

   effectivelypractically

   Examples

   virtually a member of the family

3. Of a subgroup of finite index.

   Examples

   In this case W has a diagram with 2 vertices and one edge labelled ∞, and is therefore the infinite dihedral group. Thus W is virtually ℤ.

   More examples (1)

   In this paper, we are mainly concerned with homogeneity in the class of finitely generated virtually free groups, i.e. finitely generated groups with a free subgroup of finite index.

4. Of a covering space of finite degree.

   Examples

   Another class of small manifolds consists of those that are not virtually Haken (a manifold is virtually Haken if it is finitely covered by a Haken manifold).

   More examples (1)

   We call a hyperplane Y in a VH-complex X virtually clean if there exists a finite-sheeted covering map p : X̂ → X and a connected component Y ⊆ p⁻¹Y such that the hyperplane Ŷ of X̂ is clean.

5. By computer or in cyberspace.

   Synonyms

   cyberlydigitally

Adverb

1. in essence or effect but not in fact

   Examples

   the strike virtually paralyzed the city

   I'm virtually broke

2. (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

   Synonyms

   aboutalmostmostnearlynearnighwell-nigh

   Examples

   the job is (just) about done

   the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded

   More examples (8)

   we're almost finished

   the car all but ran her down

   he nearly fainted

   talked for nigh onto 2 hours

   the recording is well-nigh perfect

   virtually all the parties signed the contract

   I was near exhausted by the run

   most everyone agrees