wondrously

Meanings

1. 1adverbnot comparableliterary

   In a way that is amazing and inspires delight or awe.

   Grammar: Usually before an adjective or after a verb: wondrously beautiful.

   Patterns

   • wondrously beautiful
   • wondrously made

   The cathedral ceiling was wondrously painted with stars.

   The child looked wondrously at the glowing lanterns.

   The valley was wondrously quiet at dawn.

2. 2adverbnot comparableliteraryold-fashioned

   To an exceptional degree; extremely.

   Grammar: Intensifier before an adjective: wondrously rich.

   Patterns

   • wondrously + adjective

   The garden was wondrously green after the rain.

   The old poem is wondrously simple.

Common combinations

wondrously beautiful

The lake was wondrously beautiful at sunrise.

wondrously strange

The creature's colors were wondrously strange.

wondrously made

The clock was wondrously made by hand.

wondrously calm

The sea was wondrously calm that morning.

Synonyms and how they differ

marvelously

Marvelously is more common in speech and writing, while wondrously sounds poetic or old-fashioned.

amazingly

Amazingly stresses surprise and works in ordinary conversation, whereas wondrously stresses delight and awe.

splendidly

Splendidly describes excellent, impressive quality, but without the sense of awe of wondrously.

magnificently

Magnificently suggests grandness and scale, while wondrously suggests a more delicate, delighted amazement.

Opposites

Word family

wonder noun

a feeling of amazement

wondrous adjective

amazing and delightful

wonderful adjective

very good

wonderfully adverb

in a very good way

Commonly confused: wondrously or wonderfully?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “wondrously”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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