Library / English Dictionary

THOUGHTFULLY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (adverb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Showing consideration and thoughtfulness

Example:

he had thoughtfully brought with him some food to share

Classified under:

Adverbs

Antonym:

thoughtlessly (showing thoughtlessness)

Pertainym:

thoughtful (considerate of the feelings or well-being of others)

Sense 2

Meaning:

In a thoughtful manner

Example:

he stared thoughtfully out the window

Classified under:

Adverbs

Antonym:

thoughtlessly (in a thoughtless manner)

Pertainym:

thoughtful (exhibiting or characterized by careful thought)

Credits

 Context examples: 

He sat down and regarded the table thoughtfully.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

"That is hard to tell," said the man thoughtfully.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

"Would you like to go?" asked Amy, thoughtfully patting her nose with her knife.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Instead of answering, Harriet turned away confused, and stood thoughtfully by the fire; and though the letter was still in her hand, it was now mechanically twisted about without regard.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Sitka Charley smoked his pipe and gazed thoughtfully at the Police Gazette illustration on the wall.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

I walked across to the Savage Club, but instead of turning into it I leaned upon the railings of Adelphi Terrace and gazed thoughtfully for a long time at the brown, oily river.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Tom, returning from them into the drawing-room, where Edmund was standing thoughtfully by the fire, while Lady Bertram was on the sofa at a little distance, and Fanny close beside her arranging her work, thus began as he entered—“Such a horribly vile billiard-table as ours is not to be met with, I believe, above ground.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Then she gazed thoughtfully upon the red drops that sprinkled the white snow, and said, Would that my little daughter may be as white as that snow, as red as that blood, and as black as this ebony windowframe!

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

“Really I don't know about that,” observed Traddles thoughtfully.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“To some extent,” he answered, thoughtfully.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)