Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Typically, you can spot their -ly ending, but that won't always be the case. Badly is an adverb, but so is beforehand. As we continue down our alphabetical list of adverbs, let's behold 50 adverbs that start with B. They may go on to benefit your writing beautifully.
50 Adverbs Starting With B
These are 50 of the most common B-adverbs. Beside them are short definitions of each word and, where possible, a few synonyms:
Adverb | Definition | Synonym |
to, at, or toward the rear | rearward, around, backward | |
in or toward the area behind a performance space | behind the scenes, behind the curtain | |
in a reverse manner or order | behind, about, rearward | |
in a harmful or unpleasant manner | carelessly, corruptly, unskillfully | |
in a manner that involves an absence of hair | ||
something that's just enough, with nothing left over | almost, hardly, just | |
fundamentally or essentially | essentially, fundamentally, primarily | |
in a pleasing manner | wonderfully, gracefully, splendidly | |
earlier or prior to | ahead, early, before | |
doing something when you don't want to | hesitantly, unhappily | |
with respect to the way a person thinks or acts | ||
not on time, late | slowly, tardily, dilatorily | |
in a credible way | supposedly, conceivably, purportedly | |
lower than | beneath, underneath | |
in a manner that has a positive effect | kindly, advantageously, constructively | |
once every two months | ||
in a manner that pertains to the Bible | ||
taking place every two years | ||
in a manner that affects two sides | dually | |
happening every two months | ||
in a manner that relates to life | ||
to a small extent | minimally, fractionally, marginally | |
in a manner that is harsh or disagreeable | angrily, harshly, furiously | |
happening every two weeks | ||
in a manner that is very strange | strangely, oddly, peculiarly | |
in a manner that is lacking flavor or interest | flatly, dully, lifelessly | |
in a manner that shows no emotion or expression | emotionlessly, listlessly, bluntly | |
something done in a really obvious manner | unmistakably, clearly, undoubtedly | |
in a way that is very fast | expeditiously, hastily, speedily | |
in a holy manner | fortunately, joyfully, thankfully | |
in an extreme manner, as if to cause blindness | obviously, extremely | |
without consideration or question | aimlessly, foolishly, recklessly | |
in a happy or joyful manner | cheerfully, cordially, gleefully | |
in a manner that is very hot | heatedly | |
something done joyously | cheerfully, brightly, merrily | |
something said or done in a truthful manner | plainly, frankly, candidly | |
done with confidence | bravely, brazenly, courageously | |
in a dull or uninteresting way | blandly, lengthily, repeatedly | |
in a manner that pertains to plant life | ||
in a courageous manner | courageously, fearlessly, valiantly | |
in a shameless manner | publicly, openly, unashamedly | |
in a manner without breath | excitedly, fervently, passionately | |
to a degree that causes shock or awe | surprisingly, wildly, shockingly | |
for a short time | shortly, succinctly, summarily | |
in a manner that is shining and full of light | brilliantly, splendidly | |
in a bright and shiny manner | dazzlingly, glaringly, lustrously | |
something done in a quick and busy manner | energetically, rapidly, vigorously | |
in a loose sense | mostly, widely, generally | |
in a vicious manner | viciously, mercilessly, savagely | |
in a manner full of activity | laboriously, diligently, earnestly |
Check out this List of 100 Adverbs if you're still hungry for more adverbs!
What Exactly Is an Adverb?
Did you catch the adverb there? "Exactly" is modifying the linking verb "is." "What is an adverb?" would work just as well, but adverbs allow your writing to be more descriptive and to have more personality.
Adverbs don't only stand beside verbs; they also modify adjectives and other adverbs. A great way to spot them is to look for words that end in -ly. Examples above include "bi-monthly" and "blatantly."
Adverbs do more than add intensity or emphasis to other words, too. Here's a deeper dive into their functionality:
- Adverbs Tell How It Happened: Adverbs like "briskly" describe how something was done.
- Adverbs Indicate Where It Happened: Adverbs like "beside" describe the location of something or where it was done.
- Adverbs Reveal When It Happened: Adverbs like "before" describe the time period in which something took place.
- Adverbs Describe the Extent of an Action: Adverbs like "enough" describe the extent to which something did or did not happen.
For more on how adverbs work to intensify the meaning behind other words, check out these Examples of Adverbs.
10 Example Sentences
Here are 10 of the above adverbs hard at work in sentence format:
- I badly wanted to learn these new concepts.
- She barely knew him before she married him.
- They wrote beautifully in calligraphy.
- Let's meet beforehand to discuss our strategy.
- I'd like to belatedly wish you a happy birthday.
- Don't fall below the class average.
- He will act beneficially for both parties.
- She spoke blandly of their trip to Peru.
- They fought bravely through the war.
- She busily researched for her final portfolio.
Bold Adverbs
Although adverbs are bold additions, it's best just to sprinkle them in to our writing. Too many -ly words can make our writing seem unnecessarily clunky. Try instead to use a strong verb rather than a bland verb and an adverb. You'll have a greater impact that way.
Still, it doesn't hurt to have these parts of speech in your back pocket. Take a walk with us through the entire alphabet. Start back at Adverbs That Start With A and see how many new additions you'll behold.