1
: in a physical manner : in accord with physical laws
It seemed that such long distance flights would be physically impossible without a highly energy-efficient form of soaring.Henri Weimerskirch
2
: in respect to the body
a physically demanding job
Just two weeks before his death, Belushi was physically ejected from an L.A. convenience store at 2 a.m. when he insisted on buying liquor after hours.Peter Carlson
I loved it; but I was physically exhausted when I walked out of that studio on Sunday nights …Brent Musberger

Examples of physically in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Later that day, Collin alleged on his Instagram Stories that his mom wrote about physically abusing him in her diary. Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 The work is being presented as the first report of a material that stores energy by physically rebuilding itself. New Atlas, 3 July 2026 Blorian is just as physically imposing as Mosquera and comes off captaining Hapoel Be’er Sheva to a cup and league double. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 This was visible when Uzbekistan played Colombia at the venue earlier in the World Cup, where the team competed well physically but passes kept going out of play. Adam Crafton, New York Times, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for physically

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1528, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of physically was circa 1528

Cite this Entry

“Physically.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physically. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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