Concretely

Concretely is an English adverb meaning in a specific, definite, or tangible way; with concrete details or examples. It is often used to move from general statements to particular instances, or to signal that a claim will be illustrated with real-world data or examples. For instance, a report might say, “This approach reduces risk. Concretely, it lowers the failure rate by 15 percent over six months.”

Concretely is formed from the adjective concrete, whose sense of “tangible, real, or definite” traces back to Latin concretus, meaning “grown together,” from concrescere “to grow together.” The adverbial form in English is created by adding the suffix -ly.

Usage-wise, concretely is common in journalism, business, scientific writing, and technical communication when authors want to emphasize specifics. It can introduce a concrete example, a numerical result, or a step-by-step description. In formal writing, some style guides suggest alternatives such as specifically or in concrete terms, depending on the tone and precision required. Overuse can make prose feel didactic or repetitive, so it is often best reserved for passages that benefit from explicit illustration or measurable detail.

Related terms include concrete (the adjective and noun referring to the material or the abstract sense of tangibility) and concreteness (the quality of being concrete). The verb form concretize refers to the act of making something more concrete or real. See also examples and usage notes for precise alignment with the intended register and audience.