Standard Lemma guide

soundly

adv · 3 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

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.

  • UK, US: /ˈsaʊnd.lɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S AW1 N D L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a thorough manner; in manner free of defect or deficiency.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He was soundly thrashed by the semi-professional boxer.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

completely and absolutely (`good' is sometimes used informally for `thoroughly')

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he was soundly defeated
  • we beat him good

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: thoroughly, good

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

deeply or completely

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • slept soundly through the storm
  • the baby is sleeping soundly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English soundly, soundely, from Old English ġesundlīċe (“safely, prosperously, gladly”), equivalent to sound + -ly. Originally meaning "safely", the present sense came in the 16th century.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: հիմնովին (himnovin) — in a thorough manner
  • Armenian: միանգամայն (miangamayn) — in a thorough manner
  • Armenian: լիովին (liovin) — in a thorough manner
  • Dutch: grondig — in a thorough manner
  • Finnish: perusteellisesti — in a thorough manner
  • Finnish: kunnolla — in a thorough manner
  • French: fortement — in a thorough manner
  • French: solidement — in a thorough manner
  • German: gründlich — in a thorough manner
  • German: ordentlich — in a thorough manner
  • Greek: γερά (gerá) — in a thorough manner
  • Norwegian Bokmål: grundig — in a thorough manner
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: grundig — in a thorough manner
  • Russian: обоснованно (obosnovanno) — in a thorough manner
  • Spanish: profundo — in a thorough manner
  • Swedish: djupt — in a thorough manner
  • Swedish: grundligt — in a thorough manner