smoothly

smoothly — adverb

1. happening or progressing in a way that has no problems, delays, or unexpected st

1.副詞B1
釋義

happening or progressing in a way that has no problems, delays, or unexpected stops.

例句

The wedding rehearsal went smoothly, with every guest arriving on time.

go + smoothly (process succeeds without problems)

Amelia transferred smoothly from one university programme to another.

transfer smoothly

同義詞
  • effortlessly

    emphasizes that no hard work was needed

  • seamlessly

    stresses that transitions or connections were invisible and natural

  • without a hitch

    informal phrase meaning with no problems at all

反義詞
  • roughly

    suggests many problems and interruptions

用法筆記

Commonly paired with verbs describing processes or operations: go, run, work, flow, progress, proceed.

常見錯誤

❌The project went smooth.
✅The project went smoothly.
💡'smooth' is an adjective; an adverb is needed after verbs like go, run, and work.

2. moving, changing, or operating in a steady, even way, without sudden stops, star

2.副詞B2
釋義

moving, changing, or operating in a steady, even way, without sudden stops, starts, or shifts.

例句

Adina shifted smoothly from first to second gear as she drove up the hill.

shift smoothly

The dancer turned smoothly on one foot and held her final pose.

turn smoothly

同義詞
  • steadily

    focuses on consistent, controlled motion

  • fluidly

    suggests movement that resembles the flowing of a liquid

  • evenly

    stresses that the pace or surface does not change

反義詞
  • jerkily

    with sudden, uncontrolled movements

  • abruptly

    in a way that changes suddenly and roughly

用法筆記

Describes physical motion — driving, dancing, writing, or the movement of vehicles and objects. Unlike sense 1, this sense focuses on the quality of movement, not on the absence of problems.

常見錯誤

❌The car drove smooth on the highway.
✅The car drove smoothly on the highway.
💡An adverb is needed to describe how the car drove.

3. behaving or speaking in a calm, assured way that avoids causing offence or confl

3.副詞C1
釋義

behaving or speaking in a calm, assured way that avoids causing offence or conflict, especially in a difficult social situation.

例句

Rania handled the awkward question smoothly by changing the subject.

handle + awkward question smoothly

The manager dealt smoothly with the customer's angry complaint.

deal smoothly with [person / situation]

同義詞
  • diplomatically

    emphasises tact and sensitivity to others' feelings

  • tactfully

    stresses saying the right thing without causing offence

反義詞
  • clumsily

    in an awkward way that causes embarrassment or offence

用法筆記

Typically describes how someone manages a social situation or conversation, not physical movement. Distinguish from sense 2: here the focus is on social skill, not the quality of motion.

常見錯誤

❌He smooth handled the complaint.
✅He handled the complaint smoothly.
💡'smooth' cannot replace the adverb 'smoothly' after a verb.