smoothly

USAGE SUMMARY

'smoothly' is an accepted word in the English language and can be used in written English.
For example: The transition occurred smoothly and without issue.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It all went smoothly; it was a night of grace.

The Guardian - Film

Those owners will wear a tracking device to ensure that Lily follows them, with the device hovering in place and trying to recover the signal if it loses the wearer, before landing "smoothly" – an action also taken if it runs out of battery.

The Guardian - Tech

It's wise to keep in mind that strong reactions from the likes of NBC and CNN legal analysts about the sudden likelihood that the healthcare law will be overturned could be exaggerated, expressing more of a visceral reaction that things simply didn't go as smoothly as they'd been expecting for two years.

The Guardian

The claim is rejected by the Department for Work and Pensions, which has been conducting pilot projects around the country to ensure that the introduction runs smoothly.

The Guardian

If your boss still insists on paying you in dollars, and you decide to convert them to bitcoins, and then try to live entirely in the bitcoin economy, you shouldn't expect everything to work as smoothly as it would if you had a conventional Bank of America checking account.

The Guardian - Money

Over time, the name has lost its punny puckishness much as the movement has steadily shifted from a proudly anacharical – even populist – response and rebellion within the GOP to a smoothly functioning alternative to it.

The Guardian - Opinion

But what makes her special is the way she can shift so smoothly to gut-wrenching poignancy.

The Guardian

If you can get good teamwork within the hospital that's when it runs most smoothly".

The Guardian

9.59am: So, it looks like Holland 1, Spain 0 in the battle of the bond sales - after the Dutch auction proceeded smoothly, but Spain saw its borrowing costs nearly double.

The Guardian - Business

Later, after Europe's American opponents had been smoothly despatched, McGinley's ploy was hailed as a masterstroke of organisation.

The Guardian

The government's swine-flu diagnosis website for people in England was running smoothly today after an inauspicious launch yesterday.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing processes, use "smoothly" to indicate efficiency and lack of complications. For instance, "The project was implemented smoothly" suggests that the project proceeded without significant problems.

Common error

Avoid pairing "smoothly" with other adverbs that express a similar meaning, such as "very smoothly" or "quite smoothly". "Smoothly" already implies a high degree of ease and efficiency, so adding another intensifier can be redundant.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "smoothly" is as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to describe the manner in which an action is performed. According to Ludwig, the word is accepted in the English language.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "smoothly" functions as an adverb used to convey efficiency and lack of complications in an action or process. As Ludwig AI confirms, its grammatical status is correct and it's very common across various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Formal & Business settings. While "smoothly" is versatile, be careful to avoid redundancy by not combining it with unnecessary intensifiers. Related phrases such as "effortlessly" or "seamlessly" can provide alternative ways to express similar meanings. Ludwig's examples demonstrate how "smoothly" is integrated into diverse sentences, making it a valuable word for precise and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

effortlessly

Emphasizes the lack of effort required for something to happen.

seamlessly

Highlights the lack of visible transition or joining.

fluently

Indicates ease and grace, especially in communication or movement.

uninterruptedly

Focuses on the continuous nature of an action without breaks.

without a hitch

An idiomatic expression emphasizing the absence of problems.

with ease

Highlights the simplicity and lack of difficulty in performing an action.

progressively

Stresses the gradual and steady nature of the action.

harmoniously

Highlights the pleasant and agreeable nature of the interaction or action.

methodically

Emphasizes the ordered and systematic way of doing something.

impeccably

Highlights the perfection and faultlessness of the action.

FAQs

How can I use "smoothly" in a sentence?

"Smoothly" is often used to describe the way something is done or how a process unfolds, indicating ease and efficiency. For example, "The negotiations went "smoothly"", or "The car runs "smoothly" now that it's been repaired".

What can I say instead of "smoothly"?

You can use alternatives like "effortlessly", "seamlessly", or "fluently" depending on the context. Each carries a slightly different nuance.

When is it appropriate to use "smoothly" in writing?

It is appropriate to use "smoothly" when you want to convey that something is done with ease, efficiency, and without complications. It fits well in both formal and informal contexts.

Is "smoothly" only used to describe processes?

No, "smoothly" can also describe textures or surfaces. For instance, "The cream was applied "smoothly" onto the skin". In this case, it describes a physical property rather than a process.