Word
madly
Phoneticsmad·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmædɫi/
UK/mˈædli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. to a very high degree or in an extremely excited way. You use it to show that someone is doing something with a lot of energy or strong emotion.
adv. to an extreme degree or in a frenzied, uncontrolled manner. Often used as an intensifier for verbs related to emotion or activity.
Examples
“They are madly in love with each other.”
“The scientists worked madly to finish the report before the midnight deadline.”
“The crowd cheered madly as the underdog team scored the winning goal in the final seconds of the championship match.”
Examples
simple
“They are madly in love with each other.”
contextual
“The scientists worked madly to finish the report before the midnight deadline.”
complex
“The crowd cheered madly as the underdog team scored the winning goal in the final seconds of the championship match.”
Usage
Commonly functions as an intensifier for the adjective 'in love' or verbs of action.
Etymology
From Middle English madly, madli, medliche, equivalent to mad + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
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
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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