exhaustedly

Exhaustedly is an adverb that describes performing an action in a state of exhaustion or extreme fatigue. It is formed by attaching the adverbial suffix -ly to the adjective exhausted. The word conveys not just tiredness, but a level of depletion that affects motion, speech, or decision-making. It is documented in English dictionaries but remains relatively uncommon in formal prose, and is more likely to appear in narrative, dialogue, or informal writing where emphasis on tiredness is desired.

In use, exhaustedly typically modifies verbs, signaling the manner of an action. Examples include: “She sighed exhaustedly and opened the door,” and “They walked exhaustedly to the bus stop after the long day.” The word can also appear in descriptive phrases that emphasize fatigue, though it can sound melodramatic if overused. For more neutral or formal writing, substitutes such as “wearily,” “tiredly,” or rephrasing with “in a state of exhaustion” may be preferred. Phrasal alternatives like “exhausted from” or “with exhaustion” can express the same idea more clearly in academic or technical contexts.

Etymology and usage notes: exhaustedly follows standard English morphology, deriving from the adjective exhausted with the suffix -ly. While accepted, the adverb is not as productive as others and may be flagged by editors as overly emphatic in some genres. Writers seeking precision or formality typically opt for descriptive rephrasing rather than relying on exhaustedly. See also exhaustion, exhaustion-related fatigue, and related adverbs such as wearily and tiredly.