hermetically

IPA/hɜːˈmetɪkli/
KK[hɚmˈɛtɪkəli]IPA/hɜːrˈmetɪkli/

hermetically — adverb

1. Describes a seal or closure so tight that no air, gas, or liquid can enter or es

1.副詞B2
釋義

Describes a seal or closure so tight that no air, gas, or liquid can enter or escape.

例句

The lab stored the blood samples in hermetically sealed glass tubes to prevent contamination.

hermetically sealed + concrete container

Apinya packed the dried herbs in hermetically sealed jars to keep them fresh all winter.

同義詞
  • airtightly

    more common in everyday speech; less formal, but interchangeable in literal contexts

  • tightly sealed

    describes the result rather than the manner; less precise because 'tightly' doesn’t guarantee impermeability

反義詞
  • openly

    in a way that allows air or substances to pass through freely

  • loosely

    not tightly shut, leaving gaps

文法句型

hermetically + past participle (sealed / closed)

用法筆記

Almost always modifies past participles, most commonly ‘sealed’ — ‘hermetically sealed’ is by far the dominant collocation. Standalone use of the adverb without ‘sealed’ or ‘closed’ is rare.

常見錯誤

❌The jar was closed hermetically tight.
✅The jar was hermetically sealed.
💡'Hermetically' already conveys a complete seal; adding 'tight' is redundant, and the standard collocation is 'hermetically sealed', not 'closed hermetically'.

2. Said of a group or individual that stays completely cut off from the wider world

2.副詞C1
釋義

Said of a group or individual that stays completely cut off from the wider world, with little to no communication with outsiders.

例句

The mountain monastery existed hermetically, with monks rarely receiving visitors from nearby villages.

hermetically + verb of existing; applied to a group

Jabari spent two years living hermetically in a remote woodland cabin, finishing his first novel.

同義詞
  • reclusively

    more specific to individuals avoiding social contact; slightly less common

  • in seclusion

    adverbial phrase; often suggests a deliberate, temporary withdrawal for privacy or focus

  • in isolation

    broader; can be involuntary (as in quarantine) or voluntary

反義詞
  • openly

    in a way that involves engagement with the outside community

  • publicly

    in a manner visible and accessible to others

文法句型

hermetically + verb of living (live / exist / work)

用法筆記

Frequently describes communities, religious groups, or individuals who deliberately avoid outside contact. The meaning is figurative and derives from the literal airtight sense of ‘hermetically sealed’.

常見錯誤

❌He lived hermetically in a busy city apartment.
✅He lived hermetically in a remote mountain cabin.
💡The figurative sense requires genuine physical separation from society; a city apartment surrounded by neighbours contradicts the idea of being sealed off.