English Reference
Adverb

successfully

adv. manner
B1 Intermediate Oxford US /səkˈsɛsfəɫi/ UK /səksˈɛsfəli/ suc·cess·ful·ly

adv.in a way that achieves the result you wanted. You use this when you finish a task well or reach a goal.

adv.in a manner that achieves a desired aim or result.


SIMPLE

She successfully finished the difficult race.

CONTEXTUAL

The surgical team successfully performed the operation, and the patient is now recovering in a stable condition.

COMPLEX

By integrating diverse data sets, the researchers successfully identified the underlying cause of the phenomenon that had puzzled the scientific community for decades.

Usage

Typically placed before the main verb or at the end of the clause.

Pitfall
He successfully in his exam.He was successful in his exam.

Learners often use the adverb 'successfully' where the adjective 'successful' is required after the verb 'to be'.

Usage successfully apply · successfully carry · successfully combine


From successful + -ly.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated