English Reference
adverb

publicly

adv.
US /ˈpəbɫɪkɫi/ UK /pˈʌblɪkli/ pub·licly

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    in a way that is not secret, so that anyone can see or hear what is happening.

    in an open manner that is visible or audible to the general public rather than in private.

    Simple

    The company director publicly apologized for the mistake during the news conference.

    In context

    Although the two politicians disagreed in private, they continued to support the project publicly to maintain party unity.

    Usage

    often follows verbs of communication like 'speak', 'announce', or 'admit'.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    done or paid for by the government or a community for everyone to use.

    by, for, or on behalf of the community, often relating to government funding or oversight.

    Simple

    The new park is publicly funded, so it is free for everyone to visit.

    In context

    The report argued that publicly owned utilities often provide more reliable service than those managed by private corporations.

    Usage

    frequently modifies adjectives like 'funded', 'owned', or 'held'.

    officiallystate funded

Usage publicly available · publicly accessible · publicly discussed


From public + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated