An adverb is a part of speech that provides greater description to a verb, adjective, or another adverb. They're noted for their -ly ending, although they don't have to end in -ly. Cautiously is an adverb, but so is something like clockwise. We're at the start of an alphabetical list of adverbs. We began with Adverbs That Start With A, and now we're moving on to 50 of the most popular adverbs that start with C.
50 Adverbs Starting With C
Below, you'll find 50 C-adverbs in common use today. Beside them is a short and sweet definition, as well as a sampling of synonyms:
Adverb | Definition | Synonym |
in a peaceful manner | quietly, coolly, sedately | |
cautiously; painstakingly | scrupulously, cautiously, meticulously | |
in a relaxed manner | unintentionally, inadvertently, accidentally | |
in a careful manner | carefully, gingerly, tentatively | |
equal distance from various points | halfway, midway, in the center | |
without doubt | absolutely, hardily, truly | |
in a usual or expected manner | commonly, consistently, generally | |
in a manner that doesn't require a lot of money | economically, inexpensively, frugally | |
in a joyous manner | gladly, willingly, joyfully | |
most importantly | mainly, particularly, principally | |
to a standard with a long-established style | traditionally | |
in a way that produces no pollutants | neatly, tidily | |
without any doubt | apparently, conspicuously, evidently | |
in a witty manner | intelligently, shrewdly, wittily | |
in an analytical manner | analytically, empirically, scientifically | |
in the direction in which the hands of a clock rotate | ||
with little or no space or time in between | almost, barely, nearly | |
in a way that results from chance | funnily, luckily, serendipitously | |
as a group or whole | cooperatively, mutually, unitedly | |
in a physically relaxed way | luxuriously, adequately, easily | |
in the usual course of events | customarily, generally, ordinarily | |
to a moderate degree, when compared to something else | relatively, analogously, similarly | |
in a manner that's situated for a win | ||
to the fullest extent | wholly, entirely, thoroughly | |
in a complete or thorough manner | assiduously, carefully, meticulously | |
in a manner that is possible | possibly, imaginably, ostensibly | |
in a decisive manner that can prove a case | finally, convincingly, definitively | |
happening at the same time | jointly, simultaneously, synchronously | |
doing something with assurance or fearlessness | positively, assuredly | |
in a deliberate and intentional way | purposely, explicitly, knowingly | |
without interruption | successively, continuously, sequentially | |
as a result of | ergo, therefore, thereupon | |
something done in keeping with traditional values | quietly, privately, traditionally | |
to a degree worth considering | appreciably, greatly, markedly | |
in a constant manner; always | usually, always, constantly | |
something done openly | apparently, clearly, distinctly | |
in a steadfast manner | uniformly, continually, invariably | |
in a non-stop manner | steadily, constantly, frequently | |
without pause | constantly, perpetually, relentlessly | |
without difficulty | handily, cleverly, smoothly | |
done in an opposite manner or for the opposing side | interchangeably, reciprocally, mutually | |
in a way that causes someone to believe something | satisfactorily, sufficiently, competently | |
in the right and proper manner | accurately, justly, perfectly | |
in an analogous or equivalent way | accordingly, appropriately, respectively | |
in an original manner | innovatively, originally, uniquely | |
in an illegal manner | naughtily, badly, unethically | |
in a manner that tends to find fault | unfavorably, adversely, disparagingly | |
with vital importance | urgently, essentially, imperatively | |
in an unusual way | strangely, uncommonly, surprisingly | |
at the present time | presently, directly, now |
For even more adverbs to add to your lexicon, check out this List of 100 Adverbs!
Using Adverbs Correctly
Did you spot the adverb in the header? "Correctly" is modifying the verb "using." "Using adverbs" works just as well, but adverbs like "correctly" can provide a little more information.
Also, adverbs don't just stand beside verbs. They can also modify adjectives and other adverbs. A great way to spot adverbs is to look for words that end in -ly. Examples from the above list include "classically" and "confidently."
We can get a little more specific than simply saying adverbs add intensity or emphasis to other words. Let's take a closer look at what, collectively, they aim to do:
- Adverbs Tell How It Happened: Adverbs like "cheerfully" describe how something was done.
- Adverbs Tell Where It Happened: Adverbs like "closeby" describe the location of where something happened.
- Adverbs Tell When It Happened: Adverbs like "concurrently" describe when something took place.
- Adverbs Tell the Extent of an Action: Adverbs like "closely" 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
Let's look at 10 of the above C-adverbs hard at work in sentence form:
- He calmly arose from the chair and walked over to her.
- She carefully typed the affidavit.
- They casually walked into the room.
- She cheerfully waved to her neighbor.
- Sherlock cleverly solved the mystery.
- Monique comfortably walked around town in her new shoes.
- They conspicuously held hands in the town square for all to see.
- She continually prays for peace.
- I have correctly answered all your questions.
- She is currently working in Brazil.
Cast New Adverbs
Cast new adverbs into your vocabulary today… with one small stipulation. Although adverbs are enticing intensifiers, it's best to use them cautiously. Too many -ly words can make our writing seem ungainly.
Whenever you can go with a strong verb in lieu of a bland verb and an adverb, go with the strong verb. Otherwise, you can continue to sprinkle them conspicuously throughout your prose, whenever the timing is right!