tamely

Tamely is an English adverb describing an action performed in a tame, submissive, or compliant manner. It often conveys a lack of resistance, enthusiasm, or assertiveness, and can be used in reference to animals, people, or reactions to events. The word is formed from the adjective tame plus the suffix -ly, a common way to derive adverbs of manner, and it has been part of English usage since medieval times.

In usage, tamely typically appears with verbs that express behavior or response. For example, a horse might stand tamely while its rider approaches, or a defendant might accept a verdict tamely, without protest. When applied to people, tamely can carry a nuance of resignation or passivity rather than virtue or moral strength, whereas in animal contexts it often denotes docility.

Tamely contrasts with adverbs that imply energy, willingness, or resistance, such as eagerly or vigorously. It can carry a neutral or negative connotation depending on context, sometimes suggesting a lack of agency or initiative. As a descriptive term, it is more formal and less common in everyday speech than synonyms like meekly or docilely, but remains correct in literary or journalistic writing.

Related terms include tame, tameness, meekness, and docility. Tamely belongs to the broader category of adverbs of manner and is typically used to modify verbs to indicate how an action is performed rather than what action is performed.