Adverbally

Adverbally is a nonstandard term that some writers use to describe action performed in an adverbial manner. In standard linguistic terminology, the proper adverb to describe this function is adverbially.

Etymology and relation: The standard form adverbially comes from adverb + -ially, indicating a manner or mode of action. Adverbally would be formed similarly as adverb + -ly, but it is not widely accepted as the correct or formal derivation. Because of this, adverbally is typically treated as informal, regional, or potentially erroneous in careful writing. It should not be confused with verbally, a distinct word meaning spoken or spoken aloud.

Usage and style: In formal and academic writing, adverbially is the preferred term when noting that a phrase or clause functions as an adverbial modifier. If you encounter adverbally, treat it as nonstandard or a likely spelling error and replace it with adverbially for precision. Writers may use adverbally in casual or colloquial contexts, but its meaning remains unclear to many readers and it can undermine clarity.

Examples: The sentence “She spoke quickly” uses the adverb quickly in an adverbial position. A formal way to describe this is that the adverb modifies the verb, i.e., it is used adverbially. If someone writes “she spoke adverbally,” it is typically interpreted as a nonstandard attempt to express the same idea.

See also: adverb, adverbial.