uncertainly
uncertainly — adverb
1. in a hesitant or doubtful way — acting or speaking without confidence because yo
in a hesitant or doubtful way — acting or speaking without confidence because you are not sure what to do, say, or believe
Eli glanced uncertainly at the dark staircase before taking the first step.
adverb after verb of perception: glanced uncertainly
Tariro smiled uncertainly, not knowing whether the joke was meant to be funny or hurtful.
adverb describing facial expression: smiled uncertainly
Theo stood uncertainly on the old wooden ladder, which creaked under his weight.
Isabela spoke uncertainly during the meeting, her voice barely above a whisper.
Diya stood at the crossroads and looked uncertainly at the map in her hands.
- hesitantly
focuses more on the physical pause or delay before acting; may be used even when the person knows what they want to do
- doubtfully
emphasises intellectual uncertainty — questioning whether something is true or correct
- tentatively
suggests a careful, experimental approach to test the situation, not necessarily a lack of confidence
- confidently
in a way that shows full belief in your own ability or judgment
文法句型
verb + uncertainly
uncertainly before verb (less common)
用法筆記
Frequently used with verbs of perception (looked, glanced), speech (said, asked), and facial expression (smiled, frowned). The adverb almost always follows the verb it modifies rather than preceding it.