qualitatively.

In terms of the nature or qualities of something rather than numerical amount.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• qualitatively different
• assess qualitatively

On the page

The new procedure was qualitatively different, not merely a faster version of the old one.

The interviews were assessed qualitatively to examine how participants understood the policy.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Invariable adverb; no plural or tense forms. Compare degree only where the particular use naturally permits it. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: qualification, comparison, causation, methodology, interpretation. Disciplines: academic writing, research, argumentation. Commonness: moderately common.