Top 476 - 500 Adverbs: English Vocabulary List

in a way that is according to a thorough and efficient plan or system

"He systematically searched the entire house."

"He systematically searched the entire house room by room until he finally found his missing wallet under the sofa."

in a way that increases more and more rapidly over time

"The population grew exponentially over the decade."

"The population grew exponentially over the decade and the city had to build many new schools and hospitals to keep up."

as a second choice or another possibility

"Alternatively you can take the train."

"Alternatively you can take the train instead of driving if you do not want to deal with traffic and parking."

in a way that shows poor judgment or a lack of intelligence or sense

"He stupidly forgot his keys again."

"He stupidly forgot his keys again and had to call his roommate to let him into the apartment."

in a firm or determined way

"She tenaciously pursued her goals."

"She tenaciously pursued her goals and never gave up even when things got very difficult and discouraging."

in a way that is guided by natural understanding or instinct

"He intuitively knew the answer."

"He intuitively knew the answer without having to think about it because he had solved similar problems many times before."

at the present time, with the understanding that the current situation or decision may be changed in the near future

"For the moment please wait here."

"For the moment please wait here while I go and find someone who can help you with your problem."

to a very great or extreme extent or degree

"He was awfully tired."

"The exam was awfully difficult, and many students struggled to complete it within the allotted time."

in a manner that lacks enough care or attention

"He lost his keys carelessly."

"He carelessly left his phone on the bus and now he cannot find it anywhere."

in a courageous and determined way, especially in the face of danger, fear, or hardship

"The firefighter bravely entered the burning building."

"The firefighter bravely entered the burning building to save the family who was trapped inside their apartment."

in a manner that shows one is inclined or happy to do something

"I willingly accepted the job."

"I willingly accepted the job offer because it was exactly what I had been looking for."

in a manner that is marked by careful attention to details

"She meticulously cleaned every corner of the room."

"She meticulously cleaned every corner of the room and by the time she finished it looked spotless and brand new."

in an extraordinarily excellent or impressive manner

"The food tastes fantastically good."

"The food tastes fantastically good and I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great meal."

in an unexpected manner that resembles a miracle

"Miraculously nobody was injured."

"Miraculously nobody was injured in the plane crash even though the aircraft was completely destroyed by the impact."

to a degree or extent that is unclear

"I am sort of tired."

"I am sort of tired but I can still finish this work before the end of the day."

prior to a particular time or event

"Thank you in advance for your help."

"Thank you in advance for your help and I promise to return the favor when you need something from me."

in a way that is natural or present from birth

"She is innately talented at music."

"She is innately talented at music and could play the piano by ear without any formal training at all."

away from a central or particular point

"The door opens outward."

"The door opens outward so do not try to pull it inward because you will not be able to open it that way."

in a way that shows an easily distinguishable quality

"I distinctly remember meeting you before."

"I distinctly remember meeting you before but I cannot remember your name or where we met."

used when an event or performance is happening at the present moment or being broadcast in real-time

"The band performed live."

"The band performed live at the stadium and thousands of fans sang along to every song."

in a way that causes disbelief or surprise

"The price is ridiculously high."

"The price is ridiculously high for such a small apartment in this neighborhood so I decided to look elsewhere."

toward a lower level or position

"The plane flew downward toward the runway."

"The plane flew downward toward the runway and landed smoothly despite the strong wind blowing across the airport."

in a way that is very pleasing, admirable, or successful

"The party went splendidly last night."

"The party went splendidly last night and everyone had a great time dancing eating and talking with old friends."

to a degree that is very great

"He drives insanely fast on the highway."

"He drives insanely fast on the highway and one day he is going to cause a terrible accident."

used as an intensifier to express a very high degree

"He is madly in love with her."

"He is madly in love with her and thinks about her constantly even when he is supposed to be working."