WordGarden.iovirtual
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /vˈɜːtʃuːəl/
US
- /ˈvɜrtʃuəl/
Meanings
Adjective
taking place online rather than in person
simulated by a computer or experienced in a digital environment instead of a physical one
created or run in software rather than on separate physical hardware
More meaningsFewer meanings
almost or effectively so, though not literally or formally
Beyond the definition
Imagine building a world inside a computer: that's virtual. It often means something does not exist in a physical form but appears or works through a computer, the internet, or software. You might join a virtual meeting from home, walk through a virtual museum online, or use a virtual reality headset that makes another place feel real. The word can also mean "almost" or "in effect," as in a virtual promise or a virtual certainty.
The word virtual describes something that is created, simulated, or carried on through computer technology rather than existing in a physical form. It often refers to things you experience on a screen, through software, or over the internet. A virtual meeting happens online instead of in a shared room. A virtual world in a game feels like a real place, even though it is made of digital images and code. In this common modern sense, the word is closely tied to digital life.
The word also has an older and broader meaning: something can be virtual if it is not exactly the thing itself but is so close in effect that the difference hardly matters. For example, a "virtual certainty" is something that is almost certain, and a person might be called the "virtual leader" if they hold the real power even without the official title. In this sense, the word is about practical reality, not just technology.
Think about a virtual assistant like Siri or Alexa, or virtual reality (VR), where a headset creates an immersive computer-generated environment. The term also appears in phrases like virtual classroom, virtual event, virtual machine, and virtual tour. While something virtual may not be physically present, it can still feel important, useful, or real in its effect. So when you hear virtual, think of something that exists digitally or something that is almost the same as the real thing in practice.
Examples
- 1
Work meetings
We have a virtual meeting every Monday, so nobody has to come into the office.
- 2
Online classes
The school offers virtual classes for students who live too far away to commute.
- 3
Travel planning
Before booking the hotel, we took a virtual tour of the rooms online.
- 4
Virtual reality
With the headset on, she felt as if she were walking through a virtual world.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Digital model
The software creates a virtual copy of the building before construction begins.
- Phrasevirtual copy
a digital version of something real
- 6
Family distance
After so many years apart, he was a virtual stranger to his younger sister.
- Phrasevirtual stranger
someone who is almost like a stranger
- 7
Election result
Once the final votes were counted in the big cities, her win was a virtual certainty.
- Phrasevirtual certainty
something that is almost certain
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- virtualadjective