adverb
Uncommon
freshly
FREHSH-lee
Freshly (adverb) means Very recently; just now. Example: “The bread was freshly baked and still warm.”
adverb
1
Very recently; just now.
"The bread was freshly baked and still warm."
"Their footprints were freshly made in the snow."
"The walls had been freshly painted, so we did not touch them."
2
In a rude or cheeky way.
"He answered the teacher freshly, earning a stern look."
""Make your own tea," the boy said freshly to his mother."
"She spoke freshly to the waiter, and he looked quite offended."
How to use freshly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRecently, or done in a way that just happened — often paired with a past participle like "freshly baked" or "freshly cut."
Common pairings
freshly baked
freshly cut
freshly painted
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more freshly
- Superlative
- most freshly
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bread was _____ baked and still warm.
Etymology
From fresh plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “freshly” mean?
The word “freshly” means very recently; just now. In plain terms, recently, or done in a way that just happened — often paired with a past participle like "freshly baked" or "freshly cut.".
How do you pronounce “freshly”?
“Freshly” is pronounced FREHSH-lee (/ˈfɹɛʃli/ in IPA).
How do you use “freshly” in a sentence?
Here is “freshly” used in a sentence: “The bread was freshly baked and still warm.”
What is another word for “freshly”?
Words with a similar meaning to “freshly” include lately.
What part of speech is “freshly”?
“Freshly” is an adverb.
Is “freshly” a common word?
“Freshly” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “freshly” have?
“Freshly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: very recently; just now.
What is the difference between freshly and recently?
Freshly emphasizes that something happened very recently and often that the result is still new, such as freshly baked bread. Recently is more general and simply places an event in the near past without necessarily implying newness of the result.
When should you use freshly instead of newly?
Freshly is typically used with things that can go stale or lose quality over time, like freshly brewed coffee or freshly cut grass, to stress recency and immediacy. Newly is more common with states or changes, such as newly married or newly appointed.
Can freshly mean something other than recently?
Yes, freshly can also describe speaking or acting in a rude or cheeky way, as in answering freshly to a question. This informal sense is distinct from its more common meaning of very recently.
