adverb

alertly

alertly, watchfully

The cat watched the bird alertly.

The cat watched the bird alertly.

((verb)) to do (sth.) alertly The driver reacted alertly to the sudden stop.

Synonyms: watchfully, vigilantly, attentively; Antonyms: carelessly, inattentively

From the adjective 'alert' plus the adverb-forming suffix '-ly'. 'Alert' comes from Italian 'all'erta', meaning 'on the watch'.

Think of an 'alert' guard who is watching everything very 'alertly'. The '-ly' tells you it describes an action.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.