What does leakily mean?
Leakily is an uncommon English adverb meaning “in the manner of leaking.” It describes something that allows liquid, gas, or another substance to escape through an opening, often with the implication that the escape is gradual, visible, or unintended. The word is related to the adjective leaky, which characterizes an object or place as prone to leakage, and to the noun leakage. Leakily can be used literally, as when describing a dripping pipe or a roof through which rain is seeping, but its descriptive sound also gives it a figurative or literary quality. For example, it can suggest that information is escaping informally or that a situation is deteriorating. Although grammatically straightforward, leakily is relatively uncommon, so clear alternatives such as “in a leaky manner” or “dripping” may sometimes be more natural. Its rarity makes it particularly useful in vivid prose, poetry, and deliberately expressive writing.
adverbIn the manner of leaking; with or as though through a leak.
- In the manner of leaking, especially allowing liquid or another substance to escape through an opening.
"The old pipe dripped leakily into the garden."
"The old pipe dripped leakily into the garden."
"Rainwater seeped leakily through the cracked roof."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does leakily come from?
Leakily was formed in English by adding the adverbial suffix -ly to the adjective leaky. The adjective belongs to the English word family based on leak, alongside forms such as leakage and the participial form leaking.
How leakily is actually used
Uncommon and mildly literary. It often suggests a visible, gradual, or unintended escape and is especially suited to descriptive or figurative contexts.