Standard Lemma guide

imperfectly

adv · 2 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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  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 M P ER1 F IH0 K T L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In an imperfect manner or degree; not fully or completely.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

in an imperfect or faulty way- Jane Austen

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The lobe was imperfectly developed
  • Miss Bennet would not play at all amiss if she practiced more

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: amiss

Antonyms: perfectly

History

Etymology

From imperfect + -ly or im- + perfectly.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: imperfectament — in an imperfect manner
  • French: imparfaitement — in an imperfect manner
  • Portuguese: imperfeitamente — in an imperfect manner
  • Sanskrit: सामि (sāmi) — in an imperfect manner
  • Spanish: imperfectamente — in an imperfect manner