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officially

/əˈfɪʃəli/
/əˈfɪʃəli/
IPA guide

If something's done officially, it's done formally, often with the backing of some kind of authority, like a government. You might be elected president in November, but you won't officially take office until January of the following year.

The adverb officially can describe something that's done publicly in an official and formal way. A company's CEO may officially resign after speculation about money laundering became public. An advertising campaign might officially launch with a Super Bowl ad. Officially can also describe something authorized by a government or other organization with authority. The government may officially announce that unemployment has decreased in the last six months.

Definitions of officially
  1. adverb
    in an official role
    officially, he is in charge”
    officially responsible”
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    unofficially
    not in an official capacity
  2. adverb
    with official authorization
    synonyms: formally
Pronunciation
US
/əˈfɪʃəli/
UK
/əˈfɪʃəli/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘officially'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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