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."

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 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 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 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 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."