positively

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'positively' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to emphasize a positive statement or to express agreement. For example: "I positively love your new hairstyle!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Just 17% said coverage of Miliband was positive, compared with 36% who said David Cameron is covered positively.

The Guardian

But, echoing Sturgeon, he added: "The Tories must also respond to the election result and react positively to proposals for a transfer of powers beyond Smith, a position which won overwhelming support in the election".

The Guardian

The company says it is looking for people with a Tefl (teaching English as a foreign language) qualification or a background in tourism management, "who can contribute positively to growing the country's tourism industry".

The Guardian

Each director focuses on provocative action and drama in their films, but, more specifically, they show men can be positively sexually objectified through a female lens.

The Guardian - Opinion

Now the government is responding positively, and the media is responding positively".

The Guardian

He doesn't want to get into trouble, so he's come to influence me positively by telling me he nearly ate it all.

The Guardian

But she doubts that charities would respond positively to a paid-for proposal.

The Guardian

A unifying theme is to positively acknowledge their roots, including a strong connection with Salford – Giggs still lives in the city; Scholes was born there; United's Cliff and Littleton Road training grounds, where they were all schooled in football, are in Salford.

The Guardian - Sport

The workshops bring home the difficult truth that we are all capable of violating someone else's consent, while creating a safe space to discuss the meaning of consenting positively and enthusiastically.

The Guardian - Opinion

In HHhH, his novel about the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, Laurent Binet is positively disgusted by the prospect of committing any form of embellishment or factual inaccuracy.

The Guardian - Books

It's grey, overcast and positively thunderous out in Mirpur today, so we may not get an uninterrupted day of cricket, but fingers crossed.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing an action or outcome, "positively" can highlight the beneficial or favorable aspect. For example, "The new policy has positively impacted employee morale."

Common error

While "positively" is a versatile adverb, avoid overusing it in informal conversations where simpler alternatives like "definitely" or "absolutely" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "positively" is to act as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to express emphasis, certainty, or a favorable manner. Ludwig examples confirm this usage, showing its role in intensifying statements and describing actions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Positively" is a versatile adverb that primarily functions to emphasize statements, indicate favorable outcomes, or describe actions performed in a beneficial way. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and frequently used, especially in news and media contexts. While "positively" is generally acceptable, overuse in informal settings should be avoided. Alternatives like "definitely" or "absolutely" may be more appropriate in casual conversations. Its consistent use across authoritative sources underscores its reliability and widespread acceptance in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Definitely

Expresses certainty or agreement, similar to "positively" in its affirmative sense.

Absolutely

Indicates strong affirmation or agreement, much like "positively".

Certainly

Conveys assurance or conviction, close in meaning to "positively" when used to emphasize a statement.

Indeed

Emphasizes a statement or confirms something, offering a more formal tone than "positively".

Without a doubt

Expresses certainty and conviction, similar to one usage of "positively".

Categorically

Implies a clear and unambiguous statement, similar to "positively" in its definitive sense.

Unequivocally

Suggests a clear and undeniable statement, a more formal alternative to "positively".

For sure

An informal way of expressing certainty, less formal than "positively".

Very much so

Emphasizes agreement or affirmation, providing a slightly different structure compared to "positively".

In a favorable way

Focuses on the manner in which something is done, similar to "positively" when used to describe a beneficial action.

FAQs

How can I use "positively" in a sentence?

"Positively" can be used to express certainty, as in "I am "positively sure" I locked the door", or to indicate a favorable outcome, as in "The new regulations "positively affected" the environment".

What are some synonyms for "positively"?

Depending on the context, you can use synonyms like "definitely", "absolutely", "certainly", or "indeed" to replace "positively". Each alternative offers a slightly different nuance.

Is it correct to say "I positively agree"?

While grammatically correct, "I "positively agree"" might sound slightly redundant. A more common and natural phrasing would be "I definitely agree" or "I absolutely agree".

What's the difference between "positively" and "favorably"?

"Positively" is often used to express certainty or emphasis, while "favorably" is used to describe something that is advantageous or creates a positive impression. For example, "The reviews were "positively glowing"" versus "The proposal was "favorably received"".