adv
Meaning 1
In a fearful manner; characterized by fear.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- I stepped fearfully into the pitch-dark cave.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
fearfully
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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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General-American: /ˈfɪɹfəli/
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Received-Pronunciation: /ˈfɪəfəli/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
adv
Meaning 2
very; very much.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, dated
Examples
- He's a fearfully good striker.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
Meaning 3
in fear,
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- she hurried down the stairs fearfully
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: fearlessly
adverb
Meaning 4
in an alarming manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- they were fearfully attacked
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English fearful Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English fearfully From fearful + -ly.