distinctly

distinctly — adverb

1. So clearly or strongly that there is no doubt about what you see, hear, or feel

1.副詞B2
釋義

So clearly or strongly that there is no doubt about what you see, hear, or feel about something.

例句

Yuki's voice was distinctly shaky when she talked about the accident.

distinctly + adjective describing a noticeable quality

The room grew distinctly colder as the evening went on.

同義詞
  • clearly

    most common and neutral; works across sight, sound, logic, and memory

  • noticeably

    emphasises that something draws attention and is observable by others

  • markedly

    more formal; implies a degree of contrast or measurable change

反義詞
  • vaguely

    suggests something is unclear or only partially perceived

  • indistinctly

    direct opposite — cannot be heard, seen, or understood well

文法句型

distinctly + adjective

verb + distinctly

用法筆記

Frequently pairs with adjectives of discomfort or intensity (distinctly uneasy, distinctly awkward, distinctly colder) or with perceptual verbs (remember distinctly, hear distinctly, see distinctly). Unlike 'distinctively,' which flags a unique identifying quality, 'distinctly' merely signals that a quality is strongly noticeable.

常見錯誤

❌She spoke distinctively about her plans for the company.
✅She spoke distinctly about her plans for the company.
💡'distinctively' means 'in a unique, identifying way'; 'distinctly' means 'clearly so that every word can be heard.'
❌The results were distinctive different from last year.
✅The results were distinctly different from last year.
💡'distinctive' is an adjective; before another adjective you need the adverb form 'distinctly.'

2. In a manner that keeps each thing separate from other things, without mixing or

2.副詞B2
釋義

In a manner that keeps each thing separate from other things, without mixing or confusing them together.

例句

The two issues should be dealt with distinctly in the committee report.

passive: should be dealt with distinctly

Sivan keeps her business accounts distinctly separate from her personal ones.

distinctly separate from [noun phrase]

同義詞
  • separately

    more common and neutral; focuses on the act of keeping apart without the nuance of clear differentiation

  • individually

    focuses on treating each item or person as a unique unit

反義詞
  • together

    implies mixing or combining items rather than keeping them apart

  • jointly

    suggests shared action or ownership without separation

文法句型

distinctly + adjective + from

verb + distinctly

用法筆記

Typically appears with 'from' in comparative structures ('distinctly different from', 'distinctly separate from') or with verbs of separation ('treat distinctly', 'keep distinctly apart'). Overlaps with 'separately' but adds the nuance of clear differentiation between items.

常見錯誤

❌The two departments were distinctly managed' (meaning 'managed by separate people').
✅The two departments were managed separately.
💡For purely 'not together' meanings, 'separately' is more natural; 'distinctly' works best before adjectives (distinctly different) or when emphasising clear differentiation.