arrhythmically
- adverb
- /əˈrɪθmɪkli/
:
arrítmicamente
- From inside the machine, it sounded sort of like the clanking of a radiator, but more, Charlie decided, like someone hitting the lid of a garbage can with a hammer, over and over again, arrhythmically.
Examples
-
The ball's flight reverses abruptly, arrhythmically.
Fiction book (1991) -
The dancers moved arrhythmically, creating an unsettling performance that captivated the audience.
-
His speech was arrhythmically punctuated by deep breaths, making it hard to follow his thoughts.
-
The music played arrhythmically, leaving the musicians struggling to keep time with each other.
Synonyms
13
6.4
In a way that is not regular or easy to predict
4
4.2
Happens at different times and not in a steady way
In a way that has no regular beat, for example when a heart skips beats
In a way that has no regular beat or meter, like free music and poetry
Antonyms
How Regular
386
1.0
129
2.1
8
3.5
4
4.2
1
5.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
arrhythmically = arrhythmic (semi-transparent) = a + rhythm + ic + al + ly
If a learner knows the adjective 'arrhythmic', the adverb meaning 'in an arrhythmic way' is a regular and straightforward -ly formation.
Etymology
Arrhythmically begins with a- meaning 'not' and uses rhythm, which means 'a regular beat'. So arrhythmically means 'not following a regular beat', which is why we use it for music, movement, speech, or a heart that does not beat evenly.