Meaning & use
indignantly
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Meaning
adverbnot comparable
In a way that shows anger caused by something unfair, insulting or unjust.
Grammar: Goes with verbs of speaking or reacting: replied indignantly, protested indignantly.
Patterns
- say something indignantly
- protest indignantly
- reply indignantly
"I did not take your pen," she said indignantly.
He protested indignantly when the waiter accused him of not paying.
The crowd booed indignantly at the referee's decision.
Common combinations
- reply indignantly
- She replied indignantly that she had never been late.
- protest indignantly
- He protested indignantly against the unfair penalty.
- snap indignantly
- "How dare you?" she snapped indignantly.
- splutter indignantly
- The old man spluttered indignantly at the insult.
- demand indignantly
- "Who said that?" he demanded indignantly.
- stare indignantly
- The cat stared indignantly at the empty bowl.
Synonyms and how they differ
- angrily
- Angrily is the general word for anger, while indignantly adds the feeling that you have been treated unfairly.
- resentfully
- Resentfully suggests lingering bitterness, while indignantly is a quick outburst of offended feeling.
- furiously
- Furiously signals extreme rage, whereas indignantly can be milder and more about offended dignity.
- huffily
- Huffily is lighter and slightly comic, implying sulky offence about something petty.
Opposites
Word family
- indignant adjective
- angry because of unfair treatment
- indignation noun
- anger caused by something unfair
- indignity noun
- treatment that makes you feel disrespected
Commonly confused: indignantly or indignant?
indignantly vs indignant
Indignant is the adjective, as in an indignant look, and indignantly is the adverb that describes how an action is done.
Practice
"I would never lie about that!" he said ____, feeling accused unfairly.
Choose one answer.
Indignantly fits a reaction to a perceived unfair accusation. Indifferently, cheerfully and absently do not match the feeling of being wronged.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “indignantly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.