Adverbs of Shape and Texture · Adverbs: Manner Things

with an irregular or ragged appearance

"The paint was applied unevenly."

"The paint was applied unevenly and some parts of the wall were much darker than others because the painter did not use enough coats."

in a way that the two sides or halves of something correspond in size or shape

"The pattern was symmetrically arranged."

"The pattern was symmetrically arranged and the left side of the design perfectly mirrored the right side."

in a way that the two sides or halves of something do not correspond in size or shape

"The design was asymmetrically balanced."

"The artist asymmetrically balanced the painting and the large dark shape on the left was offset by several small bright shapes on the right."

in a straight line or in a sequence

"The graph increased linearly."

"The graph increased linearly and the steady rise in temperature corresponded directly to the increase in carbon dioxide emissions."

in a manner that follows or forms a circle

"The argument went circularly."

"The argument went circularly and the speaker kept returning to the same point without ever addressing the main question."

in a way that involves few people, objects, or elements spread over a large area

"The bread was thinly sliced."

"The bread was thinly sliced and the delicate pieces were perfect for making small tea sandwiches for the party."

in a way that has a lot of substance or density

"The jam was thickly spread."

"The jam was thickly spread on the toast and the sweet fruity layer was so generous that it dripped onto the plate."

in a direct and straightforward manner

"He looked squarely at me."

"The boxer looked squarely at his opponent and he did not blink even when the larger man threw a powerful punch toward his face."

in a manner that is uneven or rough in appearance

"The glass broke jaggedly."

"The glass broke jaggedly and the sharp uneven edges could easily cut anyone who tried to pick up the pieces without gloves."

with a rough texture

"The salt was coarsely ground."

"The salt was coarsely ground and the large crystals added a crunchy texture to the pretzels that made them even more delicious."

in a manner that is closely compacted or crowded, with a high concentration of something in a given area

"The forest was densely packed."

"The forest was densely packed with trees and the sunlight could barely penetrate through the thick canopy of leaves above."

in a closely packed or condensed manner

"The car was compactly designed."

"The car was compactly designed and the small vehicle could fit into tight parking spaces that larger cars could not enter."

in a manner that is firm, inflexible, or resistant to change

"He followed rules rigidly."

"The soldier rigidly followed every regulation and he never bent the rules even when a small exception would have helped his comrades."

with a small width or range

"He narrowly escaped."

"The driver narrowly escaped injury when the tree fell onto the road just seconds after his car had passed the dangerous spot."

in a smooth manner that flows easily

"The dancer moved fluidly."

"The dancer moved fluidly across the stage and her body seemed to flow like water with every graceful step that she took."

in a way that is clearly defined or distinct

"The line was sharply drawn."

"The politician's stance on the issue was sharply defined, leaving little room for compromise."

with less attention to detail, indicating a casual approach

"He roughly pushed the door open."

"He roughly pushed the door open because it was stuck and he was in a hurry to leave."

in a way that can bend, adapt, or adjust easily without breaking or losing integrity

"She bent flexibly."

"The gymnast moved her body flexibly, executing a series of breathtaking aerial maneuvers."

in a way that has symmetry and uniformity in proportions

"The cake was cut evenly."

"The chef spread the frosting evenly across the top of the layered dessert."

used to indicate that something is being applied or made in a manner that is not thick or wide

"Spread it thin."

"The artist applied the paint thinly to achieve a delicate, translucent effect on the canvas."