What does runningly mean?
Runningly is an uncommon English adverb meaning “in a running manner.” It describes movement performed at a run or with the speed and rhythm characteristic of running. A writer might use it to emphasize the quick, energetic motion of a person or animal crossing the landscape, or to give a more vivid and literary quality to a description. The adverb can also be applied more broadly to anything that extends or unfolds in a long, continuous course, provided the context makes that usage clear. It is related in formation to the present-participle form running and the suffix -ly, which converts an adjective or participle into an adverb. Although its meaning is readily understandable, runningly is not normally found in casual conversation: a speaker would usually say swiftly, quickly, or ran rather than use this distinctive literary expression. Its rarity gives it a slightly elevated or poetic tone, making it especially suitable for carefully composed descriptive prose.
adverbIn a running manner; with the speed or movement of someone running. The word is uncommon and chiefly occurs in literary or descriptive writing.
- In a running manner; at a run or with the pace of running.
"She went runningly down the sloping meadow, her coat snapping in the wind."
"The stag ran runningly across the open hillside."
"Her long yellow gloves lay runningly across the freshly polished floor."
Runningly turns the familiar image of a run into a precise literary description of how something moves.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does runningly come from?
Runningly is an English formation based on running with the adverb-forming suffix -ly. Its underlying verb, run, continues Old English rinnan, while runner is another derivative from the same verbal base. The formation belongs to a wider Germanic family that includes forms such as German rennen and Dutch rennen; the precise date when runningly first entered written English is less important than its long-established association with the present participle running.
How runningly is actually used
This is a rare, literary adverb rather than everyday speech. It can sound deliberately descriptive or old-fashioned, and is often chosen for rhythm when describing rapid movement.