peacefully

Peacefully is an adverb describing actions conducted in a peaceful manner, without violence, coercion, or disruption. It is used to describe how events unfold, how people interact, or how disagreements are resolved. In journalism and diplomacy, reports may say that protests remained peaceful, negotiations proceeded peacefully, or transitions of power occurred peacefully.

Etymology and form: The word derives from peace, which comes from Old French paix and Latin pax. The adverb is formed by adding the suffix -ly to the adjective peaceful, which itself comes from peace via the noun/adjective path. Thus, peacefully literally means in a peaceful way.

Usage notes: Peacefully can modify verbs of movement, action, or state, as in "they left the venue peacefully," "the crowd dispersed peacefully," or "the accord was reached peacefully." It can also describe internal states, such as "sleep peacefully." It is often used in contexts emphasizing nonviolence, diplomacy, or orderly conduct, and it is generally interchangeable with terms like calmly or nonviolently in appropriate contexts. An opposite would be violently or disruptively.

See also: peaceful, peaceable, nonviolent resistance, diplomacy, conflict resolution, calmness, tranquillity.