Publicly is the correct spelling — always, in every context, for every audience. It is the form used by the AP Stylebook, recognized as the primary entry in Merriam-Webster, and the only form that appears in the Chicago Manual of Style. Publically is a variant that some dictionaries acknowledge but no style guide recommends. In practice, most spellcheckers flag it as an error.
If you have been writing publically, the fix is simple: drop the extra a and write publicly.
Why “Publically” Feels Right — Even Though It Isn’t
The confusion is built into how English forms adverbs from adjectives.
Most adjectives ending in -ic become adverbs by adding -ally, not just -ly:
basic → basically
tragic → tragically
specific → specifically
comic → comically
dramatic → dramatically
When a writer encounters public, the brain applies this rule automatically and produces publically. It follows the dominant pattern perfectly — but public is an exception to that pattern.
The Oxford English Dictionary records publicly from 1534, formed directly from public + -ly without the -al- insertion. Historically, public was treated as an adjective whose -ic ending attached cleanly to -ly, producing the two-syllable adverb pub-lic-ly rather than the four-syllable pub-lic-al-ly. The standard -ic → -ally rule applies when the -al- is needed to ease pronunciation. For public, it was not.
Other Words That Skip the “-ally” Pattern
Public is not the only -ic adjective that forms its adverb without -ally. Knowing the exceptions prevents the same error from appearing in other words.
The small group of -ic adjectives that take -ly directly rather than -ally includes:
public → publicly (not publically)
frantic → frantically — wait, this one does take -ally; the rule for this word follows the standard pattern
The more accurate list of genuine exceptions — adjectives ending in -ic where -ally does not apply because -ic itself is not the final syllable in the standard adverb — is quite short in modern English. Publicly is the most prominent case, and it is the one most commonly misspelled. The practical takeaway: whenever you write an adverb from an -ic adjective, check whether a well-established -ly form already exists before adding -ally.
What the Style Guides Say
Merriam-Webster lists publicly as the primary, standard entry. Publically appears as a secondary variant in the online dictionary, marked as less common. When Merriam-Webster lists a secondary variant, it is not a recommendation — it is an acknowledgment that the form exists in published writing. Both the AP Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style, which defer to Merriam-Webster for spelling, use publicly exclusively.
The AP Stylebook uses publicly without exception — in journalism, news writing, and all professional American English contexts covered by AP.
The Chicago Manual of Style uses publicly and does not recognize publically as an alternative.
Spellcheck behavior: Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and most major writing tools flag publically as a spelling error. Whatever a dictionary may technically list, the practical reality for digital writing is that publically will be underlined in red and flagged in editorial passes.
“Publically” — Not Wrong Enough to Be a Typo, Not Right Enough to Use
Here is the honest position on publically: it exists in some dictionaries as a variant, it was used by educated writers in earlier centuries, and it follows a logical English pattern. It is not an invented word.
It is also not a word any current major style guide recommends, not a word that any major American publication uses, and a word that spellcheck actively flags. In formal, professional, or published writing, there is no benefit to using it and a real risk of appearing careless. The category it occupies — documented variant, not recommended — is the same category as other forms that are technically recorded but practically treated as errors.
Use publicly. Every time.
“Publicly” in Professional and Legal Contexts
The word publicly appears across several high-stakes professional registers where spelling precision matters.
Finance and securities:
Publicly traded company — a company whose shares are listed on a public stock exchange.
Publicly held corporation — a company owned by shareholders who can freely trade their shares.
Publicly funded — supported by government or taxpayer money.
Publically traded company would be noticed and corrected in any financial filing, annual report, press release, or securities document. These fixed professional phrases use publicly, and the phrase is specific enough that the wrong spelling is immediately visible to editors and compliance reviewers.
Government and law:
The decision was publicly announced at the press briefing.
The agency is required to make this information publicly available.
The official publicly confirmed the timeline.
Corporate communications:
The CEO publicly addressed the allegations on Tuesday.
The company has not publicly commented on the acquisition.
Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes
Mistake: She publically announced her resignation.
Fix: She publicly announced her resignation. — public takes -ly directly, without the -al- insertion.
Mistake: The company is publically traded on the NYSE.
Fix: The company is publicly traded on the NYSE. — this is a fixed professional phrase; misspelling it in financial or legal documents is a clear editorial error.
Mistake: Assuming publically is a British spelling.
Fix: It isn’t. British English also uses publicly. This is not a regional split — it is a universal preference in all major varieties of English.
Mistake: Using publically because a dictionary lists it.
Fix: Being listed as a variant is not the same as being recommended. No major style guide — AP, Chicago, MLA, APA — endorses publically. Use publicly.
Examples
She publicly thanked her team after the win. ✔
The company has not commented publicly on the lawsuit. ✔
The decision was made publicly, at the open meeting. ✔
The city’s finances are publicly available on the municipal website. ✔
The suspect was publicly identified after the indictment. ✔
Quick Practice
Choose the correct spelling.
- She [publicly / publically] denied the allegations at the press conference.
- The company is [publicly / publically] traded on the Nasdaq.
- The documents are [publicly / publically] available through the state archive.
- He [publicly / publically] endorsed the candidate at the rally.
- The budget figures are [publicly / publically] funded and open to review.
Answers: All five: publicly
FAQs
Is “publically” a real word?
It appears in some dictionaries as a secondary variant, so it is not an invented word. However, no major American style guide — AP, Chicago, MLA, or APA — recommends it, most spellcheckers flag it as an error, and it is effectively absent from professional and published American writing. Treat it as a documented variant that should not be used in any formal, professional, or published context.
Why does “public” not follow the usual “-ic → -ally” rule?
Most English adjectives ending in -ic form adverbs with -ally (basically, tragically, specifically). Public is an exception — the Oxford English Dictionary records publicly from 1534, formed directly with -ly. The -al- insertion that applies to most -ic words was not used for public, likely because pub-lic-ly was considered the more natural form. The pattern-matching instinct that produces publically is understandable, but public simply does not follow the standard -ic pattern.
Is “publically” used in British English?
No. British English uses publicly, the same as American English. This is not a US/UK spelling split. Both major varieties of English recognize publicly as the standard and only recommended form.
What do the AP Stylebook and Chicago Manual of Style say?
Both use publicly and neither lists publically as an alternative. The AP Stylebook governs American journalism and professional writing; the Chicago Manual of Style governs academic and book publishing. Both reflect the universal preference for publicly.
Does spellcheck catch “publically”?
Yes — Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and most major writing tools flag publically as a spelling error. This means that in digital writing, publically will typically be underlined or flagged in editorial review regardless of whether the writer intended it as a stylistic choice.
The Bottom Line
Publicly is the only spelling used by major American style guides, recognized as the primary form in Merriam-Webster, and the only form that passes spellcheck without being flagged. Publically is a documented but universally non-recommended variant produced by misapplying the -ic → -ally adverb pattern to a word that doesn’t follow it. The rule is simple: public takes -ly directly. The result is always publicly, never publically.
Conclusion
There’s only one word to reach for here: publicly. It’s the standard, expected, professionally safe spelling in American English. “Publically” survives mostly as a pattern-matching slip, not a true alternative worth using. When in doubt, drop the extra “a” and go with publicly.
