adverb
soundly
SOWND-lih
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
Word Forms
more soundly comparative, most soundly superlative
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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.