Meaning & use
resignedly
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Meaning
adverbnot comparable
In a calm, tired way that shows you have stopped fighting against something unpleasant because you cannot change it.
Grammar: Describes how someone acts or speaks: she sighed resignedly.
Patterns
- say something resignedly
- nod resignedly
He shrugged resignedly and picked up the bill.
"Fine, we will wait," she said resignedly as the train was delayed again.
The team resignedly accepted another week of overtime.
Common combinations
- sighed resignedly
- Dad sighed resignedly when he saw the flooded garage.
- shrugged resignedly
- The clerk shrugged resignedly and stamped the form a second time.
- nodded resignedly
- She nodded resignedly and handed over the keys.
- said resignedly
- "I suppose it was bound to happen," he said resignedly.
- smiled resignedly
- The coach smiled resignedly after the final whistle.
Synonyms and how they differ
- philosophically
- Philosophically stresses calm, thoughtful acceptance, while resignedly carries more weariness and defeat.
- stoically
- Stoically suggests hiding feeling and enduring pain with strength, whereas resignedly hints at giving up the fight.
- reluctantly
- Reluctantly shows unwillingness to do something, while resignedly shows acceptance after you know nothing can be done.
- submissively
- Submissively implies obeying someone with power over you, which is a stronger and more negative idea than resignedly.
Opposites
Word family
- resign verb
- to leave a job formally; resign yourself to means to accept
- resigned adjective
- accepting something unpleasant without protest
- resignation noun
- a formal notice of leaving a job, or quiet acceptance
Commonly confused: resignedly or reassuringly?
resignedly vs reassuringly
Reassuringly means in a way that makes someone feel less worried; it does not mean accepting bad news.
Practice
When the manager announced the late shift again, Tom just nodded ______ and went back to his desk.
Choose one answer.
Nodding and quietly returning to work shows tired acceptance, which is resignedly. Defiantly, eagerly and gleefully all show strong positive or resistant feelings that do not match the calm giving in.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “resignedly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.