• adverb:   in essence or effect but not in fact

  Example: "The strike virtually paralyzed the city"

• adverb:   (intensifier before a figurative expression) without exaggeration
• adverb:   (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; `near' is sometimes used informally for `nearly' and `most' is sometimes used informally for `almost'

  Example: "Virtually all the parties signed the contract"

Related words...