# alphabetically

/ˌæɫfəˈbɛtɪkɫi/ (US) · /ˌælfəbˈɛtɪkli/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/alphabetically
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

in the order of the letters of the alphabet. You use this when you organize a list starting with A and ending with Z.

For teachers: arranged or occurring in the order of the letters of the alphabet.

## Examples

- The teacher listed the students' names alphabetically.
- The librarian spent the afternoon organizing the new fiction section alphabetically by the author's last name.
- To ensure fairness during the roll call, the administrator decided to process the applications alphabetically rather than by the date they were received.

## Usage notes

- Typically follows the verb it modifies or the noun phrase it describes.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.