Virtual means something that exists or happens through computers or the internet rather than in physical form. When you attend a virtual class, you're not sitting in a real classroom but learning through a computer screen. A virtual museum tour lets you explore famous galleries from your home, seeing the artwork without physically traveling there.

A virtual tie in a race means the runners finished so close together that it was almost a tie, even if one person technically won. Similarly, when something exists in virtual reality, it's not physically real but creates an experience that feels real.

Virtual technology creates environments and experiences through computer software. In a virtual reality game, you might wear special goggles that make you feel like you're exploring a castle or flying through space, even though you're standing in your living room. Scientists use virtual models to test ideas before building physical prototypes. Architects create virtual buildings to show clients what a finished project will look like.

The opposite of virtual is usually physical, actual, or in-person. After months of virtual school meetings, students and teachers often appreciate being together in an in-person classroom again.