lamely

IPA/ˈleɪmli/
KK[lˈemli]IPA/ˈleɪmli/

lamely — 副詞

1. said or done with so little confidence or effort that it fails to be convincing

1.副詞B2
釋義

無力地

以軟弱且缺乏說服力的方式

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.

例句

Samir lamely apologized to his girlfriend for forgetting their anniversary dinner.

Samir 因忘記與女友的週年晚餐而無力地向她道歉。

apologize lamely for [reason]

Hiro lamely explained that the traffic had made him late for the afternoon meeting.

Hiro 無力地解釋說，塞車讓他下午的會議遲到了。

explain lamely + that-clause

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • 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 The literal meaning of lamely (in a physically disabled way) is now considered outdated and potentially offensive; modern use is almost always figurative.

常見錯誤

❌He walked lamely after the accident.
✅He walked with a limp after the accident.
💡The literal meaning of 'lamely' is outdated and may cause offence; use 'with a limp' instead.
❌She spoke lame about her decision.
✅She spoke lamely about her decision.
💡'Lame' is an adjective; use the adverb 'lamely' to modify a verb.