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Glite Dictionary
wordlessly

wordlessly

6 3.9
To do something without speaking or using words
  • adverb
  • /ˈwɜrdləsli/
translation icon : sin hablar
  • Litlun glared wordlessly at her with both yellow eyes, his claws drumming angrily on his belly shell.
  • move wordlessly

Pav's voice calls wordlessly, and it turns out that he was not just a person in the land, he was the land itself.

Examples

  • Emma had only been able to watch wordlessly as he'd ridden away and out of her life.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Nobody thought it odd when Sara rose wordlessly from her beach chair.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • "Could we try it again?" Wordlessly, she bent over him.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Once again, wordlessly, a look of understanding passed between the two, excluding everyone else.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The two men shook hands, wordlessly, and we all sat down.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • We got back in, and Wexler wordlessly pulled the car back onto the freeway.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Coll studied the other's face wordlessly for a moment, then shrugged.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Andrew looked over to Tobias, who wordlessly returned his gaze.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Wren and Garth watched wordlessly, unable to do anything else.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • You hug Mama, wordlessly agreeing that the only thing to do is to help your cat.

Synonyms

silently
vswordlessly
129 1.2

In a quiet way without making any sound or speaking

focuses more on not using words specifically, not only sound
in silence
vswordlessly
87 2.1

Not speaking or making any sound

is similar but emphasizes absence of words rather than all noise
soundlessly
vswordlessly
5 4.4

In a way that makes no sound

highlights not using words rather than just avoiding all sounds
mutely
vswordlessly
3 5.6

Without speaking or making any sound

covers that and also the wider state of overall silence
noiselessly
vswordlessly
3 4.4

Without making any sound

points to not using words specifically, not only the lack of sound
speechlessly
vswordlessly
1 5.6

Not able to speak because of shock or strong feeling

is neutral about cause and simply denotes not using words
nonverbally
vswordlessly
1 5.6

In a way that uses gestures or facial expressions instead of words

is about not using words in general, including silent states

Antonyms

articulately
4 4.9

In a clear, fluent way that makes ideas easy to understand

speaking
4 1.0

The act of talking to other people, for example giving a speech

How Silent

silently
129 1.2
wordlessly
6 3.9
quietly
517 1.0
aloud
114 1.0

Surface Forms

wordlessly positive

Morphology

wordlessly = wordless (transparent) = word + less + ly

The adverb is transparently formed by adding '-ly' to the adjective 'wordless' (word + -less = 'without words'), so the meaning is directly derivable from its parts.

Etymology

The word wordlessly comes from word + -less ('without') and -ly (that turns it into a form showing how something is done). So to act wordlessly is to do something 'without words' or 'in silence'.