different between Somehow vs virtually

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?mha?/

Adverb

somehow (not comparable)

1. In one way or another; in a way not yet known or explained; by some means
   • December 1, 2016, Tom Donaghy writing in The New York Times, Tender Side of Edward Albee

     It’s not by accident Edward wrote “The Goat,” “The Zoo Story” or “Seascape,” with its two lizards, Sarah and Leslie. In fact, in all of his plays the animal is pretty prominent, somehow or other.

   • Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers, of errand not wholly obvious to their fellows, yet of such sort as to call into query alike the nature of their errand and their own relations.

   • 1895, William Dean Howells, Mortality

     Have I not loathed to live again and said
     It would have been far better to be dead,
     And yet somehow, I know not why,
     Remained afraid to die!

Usage notes

The indefiniteness of somehow is emphasized by the addition of or other, or another or or the other.

Synonyms

• somewise
• someway

Translations

English

Etymology

virtual +? -ly

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?v?t??u??i]

Adverb

virtually (comparative more virtually, superlative most virtually)

1. Almost but not quite.

   Synonym: as good as

2. Without exaggeration.
3. In essence, but not in fact.
4. (algebra) Of a substructure of finite index.

5. (topology) Of a covering space of finite index.

Translations