orally

adverb

oral·​ly ˈȯr-ə-lē How to pronounce orally (audio)
ˈär-
1
: in spoken words : by means of speech
The exam will be given orally.
an orally presented argument
Deaf, signing parents will "babble" to their infants in sign, just as hearing parents do orally; this is how the child learns language …Oliver Sacks
2
: by way of the mouth
The medicine can be administered orally.
Another example is amygdalin, which is found in the pits of peaches and apricots. If consumed orally, it is approximately 40 times more toxic than by intravenous injection …Des W. Connell

Examples of orally 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.
Vitamin C can be used topically or orally (by mouth) by eating foods or taking supplements.3 Research suggests topical vitamin C may be a better option for treating acne than taking it orally. Sherri Gordon, Health, 26 May 2025 Black families in Western nations for the past 400 years had to carry the lore, orally and in writing, of Black or mixed-race explorers, inventors, scientists and cultural leaders at times when they were excluded from the mainstream. Rebecca R. Bibbs, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025 The agency noted that the supplements, taken orally with tablets or drops, are not approved by the FDA. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 14 May 2025 He was groped over and under his clothes, forced to fondle and orally copulate the perpetrators and repeatedly raped. Jeff McDonald, Mercury News, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for orally

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of orally was in 1608

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Cite this Entry

“Orally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orally. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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