adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ɪmˈfætɪkli/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:EH0 M F AE1 T IH0 K L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:EH0 M F AE1 T IH0 K AH0 L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In an emphatic manner; with emphasis.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The leaders feel emphatically that each side must prove good faith before they'll will resume their talks.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
Most definitely; truly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: modal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
Not really, but apparently.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adverb
Meaning 4
without question and beyond doubt
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
it was decidedly too expensive
she told him off in spades
by all odds they should win
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: decidedly, unquestionably, definitely, in spades, by all odds
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English emphatic Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al Middle English -ly Middle English -ally English -ally English emphatically From emphatic + -ally.
Across languages
Translations
13 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
emfàticament
— in an emphatic manner
Dutch:
nadrukkelijk
— in an emphatic manner
Esperanto:
emfaze
— in an emphatic manner
Galician:
enfaticamente
— in an emphatic manner
Greek:
κατηγορηματικά
(katigorimatiká)
— in an emphatic manner
Greek:
εμφατικά
(emfatiká)
— in an emphatic manner