Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
unfreely

unfreely

7.6
Acting with little willingness, giving only a small amount
  • adverb
  • /ʌnˈfriːli/
: a regañadientes
  • He accepted the terms of the contract unfreely, feeling he had no other choice.

Examples

  • The problem then is that objectively evil actions have been performed unfreely by persons who would be judged insane by contemporary medical standards.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Everything happens unfreely in the highest degree, but as in a storm of feeling free, of unconditionality, of power, of divinity (Nietzsche, 1980, VI, p. 339; ET in Nietzsche, 1966, pp. 300-1).

    Academic text (1998)

  • She spoke unfreely about her feelings, hesitating over every word.

  • The athlete played unfreely due to a recent injury that limited his movements.

Synonyms

ungenerously
vsunfreely
1 6.0

In a way that gives little to others and is not kind

is done with reluctance or constraint rather than simple small giving

Antonyms

freely
232 1.0

In a way that has no rules or limits

generously
47 2.0

In a way that gives more money or help than expected

How Freely

hesitantly
10 3.2
unfreely
7.6
reluctantly
71 3.7
unwillingly
7 3.4
grudgingly
16 6.1

Surface Forms

unfreely positive

Morphology

unfreely = unfree (transparent) = un + free + ly

The adverb is formed regularly from the adjective 'unfree' by adding -ly; the meaning 'in a way that is not free' is predictable.

Etymology

Unfreely comes from the prefix un- meaning 'not' and the part free meaning 'open' or 'generous', so think of it as the opposite of freely. That is why unfreely describes doing something 'not willingly' or 'without giving much'.