adverb
soundly
SOWND-lih
Soundly (adverb) means Thoroughly and without flaws; completely. Example: “She slept soundly through the storm.”
adverb
1
Thoroughly and without flaws; completely.
"She slept soundly through the storm."
"The champion was soundly beaten in the final round."
How to use soundly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThoroughly, solidly, with no weak points — used for sleeping, beating an opponent, or reasoning well.
Common pairings
sleep soundly
soundly defeated
soundly built
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more soundly
- Superlative
- most soundly
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She slept _____ through the storm.
Etymology
From Old English gesundlice ("safely, in good health"), from the same root as sound (healthy, intact). The word originally meant "safely" and shifted to its modern "thoroughly" sense around the 1500s.
Class of 1500
soundly joined the language around 1500.
See the full Class of 1500 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for soundly
See all rhymes for soundly →Frequently asked questions
What does “soundly” mean?
The word “soundly” means thoroughly and without flaws; completely. In plain terms, thoroughly, solidly, with no weak points — used for sleeping, beating an opponent, or reasoning well.
How do you pronounce “soundly”?
“Soundly” is pronounced SOWND-lih (/ˈsaʊnd.lɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “soundly” in a sentence?
Here is “soundly” used in a sentence: “She slept soundly through the storm.”
What part of speech is “soundly”?
“Soundly” is an adverb.
Where does the word “soundly” come from?
The word “soundly” dates back to around 1500 and comes from Old English. From Old English gesundlice ("safely, in good health"), from the same root as sound (healthy, intact). The word originally meant "safely" and shifted to its modern "thoroughly" sense around the 1500s.
