Meaning & use
orderly fashion
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
In a neat, organized, and controlled way.
Grammar: Used as an adverbial phrase, often after a verb. It is more formal than 'in an orderly way'.
Patterns
- in an orderly fashion
- do something in an orderly fashion
The students left the building in an orderly fashion.
Please arrange the files in an orderly fashion.
The evacuation proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Common combinations
- in an orderly fashion
- The crowd exited the stadium in an orderly fashion.
- proceed in an orderly fashion
- The ceremony proceeded in an orderly fashion.
- arrange something in an orderly fashion
- She arranged the books on the shelf in an orderly fashion.
Synonyms and how they differ
- neatly
- This is a more general adverb meaning 'in a tidy way'; 'orderly fashion' often implies a controlled process or movement.
- methodically
- This emphasizes a step-by-step system; 'orderly fashion' focuses more on neatness and lack of chaos.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: orderly fashion or orderly?
orderly fashion vs orderly
As a noun, 'orderly' means a hospital worker or a soldier who does cleaning and simple tasks; as an adjective it means neat. The phrase 'orderly fashion' uses the adjective.
Practice
The teacher asked the children to line up in an _____ fashion.
Choose one answer.
The phrase is 'in an orderly fashion', where 'orderly' is an adjective describing the noun 'fashion'. 'Order' is a noun or verb and does not fit here; 'ordered' is a past participle and would not be used in this fixed phrase; 'ordering' is a gerund and also does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “orderly fashion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.