Word
freshly
Phoneticsfresh·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɹɛʃɫi/
UK/fɹˈɛʃli/
Adverb of time
Definitions
01recently or newly
B1 · Intermediate
adv. very recently or just a short time ago.
adv. occurring or performed very recently. Often used as a modifier before a past participle to form a compound adjective.
“The smell of freshly baked bread filled the entire house.”
“The scent of freshly mown grass drifted through the open window, signaling the start of the summer maintenance schedule.”
Usage
Commonly precedes a past participle, such as 'freshly painted' or 'freshly squeezed'.
Antonyms
02rudely
C2 · Proficiency Informal · American English
adv. in a way that is rude or shows a lack of respect.
adv. behaving in an impertinent, cheeky, or disrespectful manner.
“The child spoke freshly to his teacher and was sent to the office.”
“He was reprimanded for acting freshly with the supervisor during the morning briefing.”
Teaching tip
This sense is much less common than the 'recently' sense and is primarily found in older American English contexts.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English freschely, freschliche (also as ferscheli, fersly, ferselich), equivalent to fresh + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/freshly