gropingly

1 9.7

In an uncertain way, like when you feel for something in the dark

adverb
/ˈɡroʊpɪŋli/

: titubeantemente

In the dark, she gropingly reached for the light switch, her fingers brushing against the wall.

Examples

Gropingly, the child searched for her lost toy under the bed, her hands feeling around hesitantly.
He moved gropingly along the unfamiliar path, trying to find his way in the thick fog.
This exploration," he added, "can be made gropingly.

Academic text (1999)
She turned and reached out, gropingly found the switch, turned the light off, and said, "Good night."

Fiction book (1996)
I knew somehow, however gropingly and blindly, that there must be some way to get down the motions of the voice in my head...

Academic text (2001)

Synonyms

searchingly

vsgropingly

1 6.7

Looking carefully to find the truth or an answer

is tentative and uncertain, feeling one's way rather than examining closely

Antonyms

decisively

28 3.7

In a firm way that ends doubt and settles the matter

assuredly

19 4.7

Without any doubt and with confidence

How Certain

certainly

∞ 1.0

confidently

33 2.9

gropingly

1 9.7

tentatively

27 5.1

hesitantly

10 3.2

uncertainly

7 4.0

Surface Forms

gropingly positive

Morphology

gropingly = groping (transparent) = grope + ing + ly

The adverb is a straightforward formation from the adjective/participle 'groping' with the productive suffix '-ly'.

Etymology

Gropingly comes from the old verb grope + the suffix -ly, where grope meant 'to feel' or 'search with the hands'. Think of someone feeling for a light switch in the dark: to act gropingly is to move slowly and unsure, as if searching by touch.