about and virtually share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. about means “(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct”. virtually means “in essence or effect but not in fact”. about is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈbaʊt/
1.adv.(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
“lasted approximately an hour”
2.adv.all around or on all sides
“dirty clothes lying around (or about)”
3.adv.in the area or vicinity
“a few spectators standing about”
/ˈvɝtʃuəli/
1.adv.in essence or effect but not in fact
“the strike virtually paralyzed the city”
2.adv.(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
“the job is (just) about done”
| about | virtually | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈbaʊt/ | /ˈvɝtʃuəli/ |
| Said | uh-BOWT | VUR-choo-uh-lee |
| Syllables | 2 | 4 |
| Letters | 5 | 9 |
| Parts of speech | adverb, adjective | adverb |
| Senses | 8 | 2 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | approximately, close to, just about | none recorded |
Full entry for about · Full entry for virtually · More comparisons