historically

adverb

his·​tor·​i·​cal·​ly hi-ˈstȯr-i-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce historically (audio)
-ˈstär-
1
: in accordance with or with respect to history
a historically accurate account
2
: in the past
historically, stagnant cities seldom have recoveredJane Jacobs

Examples of historically 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.
Russia’s ability to endure economic hardship is historically impressive, and the assumption that cheap energy will automatically lead to Fed rate cuts involves several economic variables that don’t always behave predictably. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 Where peppery, piney berries have historically dominated the spirit, our modern gins, our New Westerns celebrate botanicals beyond the ubiquitous juniper. Camille Berry, Vogue, 15 July 2025 Advertisement And yet, historically, the U.S. nuclear energy industry has thrived when government provided strong guidance. Time, 15 July 2025 The 1886 Select collection, which pays homage to the year KSU was built and sports the historically Black university's signature gold and green colors, will be available for purchase in late July. Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for historically

Word History

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of historically was in 1550

Cite this Entry

“Historically.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/historically. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

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