Word Adverb
politely
adv.
manner
A2 Elementary US /pəˈɫaɪtɫi/ UK /pəlˈaɪtli/ po·lite·ly
Definition
adv.in a way that shows good manners and respect for other people.
adv.behaving in a manner that conforms to social etiquette and shows consideration for others.
Examples
“She smiled politely at the guests.”
“When the waiter brought the wrong dish, he politely asked for the correct order to be prepared.”
“The diplomat politely declined to comment on the ongoing negotiations, citing the need for confidentiality until a final agreement was reached.”
Usage
Typically follows the verb or the direct object.
Pitfall
He spoke to me very polite.He spoke to me very politely.
Learners often use the adjective 'polite' instead of the adverb 'politely' to describe how an action is performed.
Etymology
From polite + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated