fearfully

Fearfully is an English adverb formed from the adjective fearful. It describes an action performed in a manner characterized by fear, anxiety, or apprehension, and can also convey awe or reverence in certain contexts. In everyday usage it is more common in formal, literary, or historical writing than in casual conversation.

Etymology and usage: The word comes from fear + -ful to form the adjective fearful, with the adverbial suffix -ly producing fearfully. It has a long-standing presence in English, including biblical language. A well-known example is from Psalm 139:14 in the King James Version: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made," where the term expresses reverent awe rather than mere fright.

Usage notes: Fearfully typically modifies verbs or adjectives to indicate that the action or state is experienced with fear or caution. Examples include "She looked fearfully over her shoulder" or "The crowd stirred fearfully at the sound." In modern prose it can lend a dramatic or archaic tone; in everyday speech speakers might opt for closer equivalents such as nervously or apprehensively. Some contexts use fearfully in the sense of intense admiration or awe, as in historical or rhetorical phrases, though this usage can feel literary.