What does accursedly mean?
"Accursedly" is an adverb meaning in a manner deserving of a curse — that is, detestably, hatefully, or wretchedly. It is formed from "accursed," which itself derives from the verb "accursed" (to curse), combined with the adverbial suffix "-ly." The word appears most often in literary or slightly archaic contexts, where it describes something or someone as being under a curse or simply intensely unpleasant: "the accursedly cold weather," "he spoke accursedly of his rivals." It can also serve informally as an intensifier expressing frustration, much like "damnably" or "confoundedly." Because it resembles "accurately" at a glance, readers sometimes misread it, though the meanings are entirely unrelated. While rare in everyday speech today, accursedly remains a vivid, expressive option for writers seeking a strongly negative, old-fashioned flavor.
adverbIn a manner deserving of a curse; wretchedly or detestably, especially in a way that causes persistent annoyance or suffering.
- In a manner that deserves to be cursed; detestably or hatefully.
- (Informal intensifier) Extremely or persistently, expressing annoyance.
"The accursedly slow connection dropped again just as the file finished uploading."
"He was accursedly unlucky, losing his keys, his wallet, and his train all before noon."
"The village suffered an accursedly harsh winter, with storms lasting well into April."
It's one letter away from 'accurately' — but instead of praising precision, it's cursing something as damned and hateful.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of accursedly
Accursedly derives from "accursed," which comes from the verb "acurse" (from Old French "acurser," from Late Latin "accursare," related to Latin "currere," to run, via "con-" + "currere" in "concursare"). The suffix "-ly" forms adverbs from adjectives. Its cognates include "curse" and "execrate."
Related word forms
How accursedly is actually used
A rare and somewhat literary word, more common in older fiction than contemporary prose. It carries strong negative connotation and can function either descriptively (deserving of a curse) or as an informal intensifier of annoyance.
Easily confused with accursedly
Accurately means correctly or precisely, while accursedly means in a cursed or detestable manner — the two words share similar spelling but entirely unrelated meanings.