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Glite Dictionary
vertiginously

vertiginously

9.8
Very steeply or in a way that makes you feel dizzy
  • adverb
  • /vɜrˈtɪdʒɪnəsli/
translation icon : vertiginosamente
  • The waterfall cascaded vertiginously over the cliff, mesmerizing all who stood below.

Examples

  • As the mountain trail steepened, we ascended vertiginously, feeling a rush of excitement.

  • Supergirl's self-images proliferate vertiginously, as a double life has its price.

    Academic text (2013)

  • The annual rates they must pay, if they are forced to have recourse to predatory lenders like Wonga.com, spiral vertiginously into the thousands of percentage points.

    Blog text (3)

  • The roller coaster climbs vertiginously before plunging down at a thrilling speed.

Synonyms

precipitously
vsvertiginously
13 7.6

Very quickly and suddenly, often causing a large change

emphasizes causing strong dizziness as well
steeply
vsvertiginously
9 3.0

In a way that goes up or down on a very sharp slope

also implies rapidity and dizziness, not only angle
dizzyingly
vsvertiginously
1 6.0

In a way that makes you feel unsteady and confused from high speed, great height and sudden large change

adds the idea of extreme steepness as well
precipitately
vsvertiginously
  • Formal
1 8.3

Very quickly without careful thought

is about steep drops that cause dizziness, not mere haste
head-spinningly
vsvertiginously
9.3

Very fast and confusing, making you feel dizzy

focuses more on an actual steep physical drop
sheerly
vsvertiginously
6.4

In a very steep, almost vertical way

includes sudden dizziness and rapid motion, not just steepness
headily
vsvertiginously
8.8

In a way that makes you feel dizzy or very excited

is more about sudden physical steepness and speed

Antonyms

steadily
129 2.1

In a regular way without stopping

How Dizzy

vertiginously
9.8
dizzily
1 3.2
giddily
2 6.1

Surface Forms

vertiginously positive

Morphology

vertiginously = vertiginous (semi-transparent) = vertigo + ous + ly

Forming an adverb by adding '-ly' to the adjective 'vertiginous' is a regular, fully transparent derivation.

Etymology

The word vertiginously comes from vertigo ('a turning', 'dizziness'), which in turn comes from the Latin vertere 'to turn'. So, to do something vertiginously is to do it in a way that feels like turning or spinning — very steep, very fast, or making you dizzy, and the -ly simply makes it an adverb.