lamely
lamely — adverb
1. said or done with so little confidence or effort that it fails to be convincing
said or done with so little confidence or effort that it fails to be convincing — describes an excuse, apology, explanation, or defence that feels too weak to be believed or accepted.
Samir lamely apologized to his girlfriend for forgetting their anniversary dinner.
apologize lamely for [reason]
Hiro lamely explained that the traffic had made him late for the afternoon meeting.
explain lamely + that-clause
Rodrigo lamely tried to justify his mistake by blaming the broken equipment.
When the teacher asked about the missing homework, Hugo lamely replied that his dog had eaten it.
The company director lamely promised to investigate the complaint but never took any action.
- feebly
similar meaning of weakness, but feebly focuses more on physical or energetic weakness rather than lack of persuasiveness
- unconvincingly
more formal; emphasises that the listener was not persuaded, whereas lamely also suggests the speaker seemed embarrassed
- weakly
broader in meaning; can describe any kind of weakness, not just a failed excuse or apology
- convincingly
in a way that makes people believe or accept what you say, the direct opposite of lamely
- forcefully
with strength and confidence, the opposite of the hesitant quality of lamely
文法句型
lamely + verb (apologize, explain, reply, justify)
verb + lamely
lamely + adjective (lamely weak, lamely predictable)
用法筆記
Common with verbs of speaking or defending, such as apologize, explain, reply, insist, and justify. The literal meaning of lamely (in a physically disabled way) is now considered outdated and potentially offensive; modern use is almost always figurative.