virtually

/ˈvɚ.t͡ʃə.wə.li/

//ˈvɚ.t͡ʃə.wə.li// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"virtually" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“virtually” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,641 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#4,641
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Almost but not quite.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

virtually vs vitally
78% similar
virtually vs visually
78% similar
virtually vs virtual
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for virtually
PropertyValue
Headwordvirtually
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈvɚ.t͡ʃə.wə.li/
Letters9
Frequency rank#4,641
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “virtually” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). virtually lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for virtually is 9 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈvɚ.t͡ʃə.wə.li/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,641 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for virtually, with forms such as "ivrtually", "virrtually", and "virtaully". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "vitally", "visually", "virtual", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English vertually; equivalent to virtual + -ly. The correct English form is virtually, spelled V-I-R-T-U-A-L-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Almost but not quite.
  2. 2
    In essence or functionally, but not in fact, formally, or technically.
  3. 3
    Of a subgroup of finite index.
  4. 4
    Of a covering space of finite degree.
  5. 5
    By computer or in cyberspace.

Etymology

From Middle English vertually; equivalent to virtual + -ly.

This word in other languages

prácticamente(Español)quasiment(Français)nahezu(Deutsch)virtualmente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ivrtually,virrtually,virtaully,virttually,virtuallyy,virtualy,virtualyl,virtulaly,virutally,vitrually,vritually,vvirtually

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of virtually - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ivrtually2virrtually1virtaully2virttually1virtuallyy1virtualy1virtualyl2virtulaly2
Edit distance from "virtually"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "virtually"?
"virtually" is spelled V-I-R-T-U-A-L-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvɚ.t͡ʃə.wə.li/.
What does "virtually" mean?
As an adverb, "virtually" means: Almost but not quite.
What words are commonly confused with "virtually"?
"virtually" is commonly confused with "vitally", "visually", "virtual". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "virtually"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "virtually" is /ˈvɚ.t͡ʃə.wə.li/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "virtually"?
From Middle English vertually; equivalent to virtual + -ly. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “virtually”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is V-I-R-T-U-A-L-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈvɚ.t͡ʃə.wə.li/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “vitally” - see the side-by-side comparison. virtually vs vitally
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list