SKIP TO CONTENT

affectionately

/əˈfɛkʃənəɾli/
/əˈfɛkʃɪnɪtli/
IPA guide

When you do something affectionately, you do it in a way that shows fondness and warm feelings toward someone. Patting your dog's head affectionately may earn you a tail wag.

The adverb affectionately comes from the noun affection, which means "a gentle feeling of fondness or liking." Punching someone's shoulder affectionately will likely elicit a smile as opposed to a sneer, as it wasn't intended to hurt but rather to show friendship. The word affectionately evokes acts of kindness and warmth, like a loving smile, a gentle touch, or encouraging words — expressing genuine care for someone special in your life.

Definitions of affectionately
  1. adverb
    in a warm, kind, and friendly way
    “he treats her affectionately
    synonyms: dear, dearly
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘affectionately'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of gold-punch.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family