dumbly
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adverb:
- In an inarticulate or silent manner: Expressing something without words, often due to strong emotion, shock, or an inability to speak.
- In a stupid or obtuse manner: Acting or behaving in a foolish, unintelligent, or insensitive way.
Usage Examples
- Adverb (Inarticulate/Silent):
- She stared dumbly at the letter, unable to process the news.
- He could only nod dumbly in response to the shocking accusation.
- Adverb (Stupid/Obtuse):
- He dumbly assumed the project would finish itself without any effort.
- They stared dumbly at the instructions, refusing to read them.
Advanced Usage
- "to gaze/look dumbly": To look at something with a vacant, uncomprehending, or speechless expression.
- The tourists gazed dumbly at the complex map, utterly lost.
- "to accept/agree dumbly": To accept or agree to something without question or protest, often implying a lack of critical thought.
- The crowd dumbly accepted the leader's pronouncements without debate.
Variants and Related Words
- Dumb (adj):
- (Archaic) Lacking the power of speech.
- (Informal) Stupid or unintelligent.
- Dumbness (n): The state or quality of being dumb (either silent or stupid).
Synonyms
- Mutely, wordlessly, silently (for the inarticulate sense).
- Stupidly, obtusely, foolishly, senselessly (for the unintelligent sense).
Antonyms
- Articulately, eloquently, vocally (for the inarticulate sense).
- Intelligently, wisely, sensibly (for the unintelligent sense).
Related Phrases
- Struck dumb: Rendered speechless, usually by surprise or shock.
- The audacity of the claim left her struck dumb.
- Dumb luck: Pure chance, with no skill or intelligence involved.
- He won by dumb luck, not by any strategy.
Adverb
- in an inarticulate manner
- I nodded dumbly and he slit the envelope
- in a stupid manner
- he had so rapaciously desired and so obtusely expected to find her alone