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adverb C2 Proficient

painstakingly

PAYN-stay-kihng-lee
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Painstakingly (adverb) means With great care and thoroughness; very slowly and meticulously. Example: “He painstakingly rebuilt the engine piece by piece.”

adverb
1
With great care and thoroughness; very slowly and meticulously.
"He painstakingly rebuilt the engine piece by piece."
"The team painstakingly translated every line of the manuscript."

How to use painstakingly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDoing something with a slow, careful, detail-focused effort.

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Word forms

Comparative
more painstakingly
Superlative
most painstakingly
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He _____ rebuilt the engine piece by piece.

Etymology

From painstaking plus -ly.

fastidiously

Rhymes for painstakingly

See all rhymes for painstakingly →

Frequently asked questions

What does “painstakingly” mean?
The word “painstakingly” means with great care and thoroughness; very slowly and meticulously. In plain terms, doing something with a slow, careful, detail-focused effort.
How do you pronounce “painstakingly”?
“Painstakingly” is pronounced PAYN-stay-kihng-lee (/ˈpeɪnˌsteɪkɪŋli/ in IPA).
How do you use “painstakingly” in a sentence?
Here is “painstakingly” used in a sentence: “He painstakingly rebuilt the engine piece by piece.”
What part of speech is “painstakingly”?
“Painstakingly” is an adverb.

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