Adverbs of Comment and Certainty: English Vocabulary List

in a manner that can be easily understood or sympathized with given the circumstances

"She was understandably upset by the news."

"She was understandably upset by the news because she had been waiting for this opportunity for a very long time."

in a manner expressing sorrow, disappointment, or a sense of apology

"Regrettably we cannot accept your application."

"Regrettably we cannot accept your application because you do not meet the minimum requirements for the position."

used to convey that something seems to be true based on the available evidence or information

"Apparently he did not receive my message."

"Apparently he did not receive my message because his phone was turned off all day and he never called back."

used to convey that a statement can be supported with reasons or evidence

"He is arguably the best player."

"He is arguably the best player in the league and many experts believe he will win the MVP award this year."

in a way that is not anticipated or foreseen

"She unexpectedly showed up at the party."

"She unexpectedly showed up at the party without telling anyone and everyone was surprised and happy to see her."

in a way that can not be disputed or disagreed with

"This is unarguably the best pizza in town."

"This is unarguably the best pizza in town and people come from miles away just to try it."

after doing or considering everything

"Ultimately the decision is yours to make."

"Ultimately the decision is yours to make but I strongly recommend that you consider all the possible outcomes carefully."

used to close a formal letter politely when the recipient is addressed by name

"I sincerely apologize for my mistake."

"I sincerely apologize for my mistake and I promise to do everything I can to make it right."

used to express politeness, especially to soften or mitigate disagreement, refusal, or criticism

"He respectfully disagreed with his boss."

"He respectfully disagreed with his boss but he presented his alternative ideas in a very polite and professional manner."

used to say that the something is believed to be true based on available information or evidence

"Presumably he will arrive later today."

"Presumably he will arrive later today because his flight was delayed due to bad weather in Chicago."

in a manner beyond any question or uncertainty

"She is unquestionably the best candidate."

"She is unquestionably the best candidate for the job and we would be lucky to have her on our team."

in a way that makes any disagreement or denial impossible or unlikely

"This is indisputably a fact."

"This is indisputably a fact that has been proven by many scientific studies over the past several decades."

in a way that is definite and cannot be rejected or questioned

"He is undeniably guilty of the crime."

"He is undeniably guilty of the crime because the evidence against him is overwhelming and leaves no room for doubt."

in a way that leaves no room for disagreement or debate

"She is inarguably the winner."

"She is inarguably the winner of the competition because she scored higher than everyone else in every single category."

in a way that cannot be confused or misunderstood

"The smell was unmistakably gas."

"The smell was unmistakably gas so we immediately called the fire department and evacuated the building for safety."

‌in a manner that leaves no room for disagreement or denial

"The evidence is incontestably clear."

"The evidence is incontestably clear and any reasonable person would come to the same conclusion based on the facts presented."

in a way that is impossible to doubt or question

"This is indubitably the right choice."

"This is indubitably the right choice for our future and I am confident that we will succeed together as a team."

in a way that can be anticipated or expected with a high degree of certainty

"Predictably the team lost the game."

"Predictably the team lost the game because they had not practiced enough during the week and their best player was injured."

in a way that is certain and beyond any doubt

"The room was decidedly too small."

"The room was decidedly too small for fifty people so we had to find a larger venue for the conference."

in a manner that is very much or to a great extent

"Wash your hands thoroughly with soap."

"Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least twenty seconds to kill germs and prevent infection."

to an almost complete degree

"There is practically no food left."

"There is practically no food left in the house so we need to go grocery shopping as soon as possible."

in a manner indicating surprise, curiosity, or an unexpected nature

"Strangely nobody heard the noise."

"Strangely nobody heard the noise even though it was very loud and the walls are quite thin."

used to close a formal letter politely when the recipient is addressed by name

"I sincerely thank you."

"Please accept this report as a token of our appreciation, and we sincerely hope for your continued support."

used to express politeness, especially to soften or mitigate disagreement, refusal, or criticism

"He spoke respectfully to his teacher."

"While I must respectfully disagree with your assessment, I appreciate you sharing your perspective on the matter."

used for saying that a situation is odd, unexpected, paradoxical, or accidental

"Ironically he failed the driving test."

"Ironically he failed the driving test because he was too nervous even though he is an excellent driver."