What does uncomfortably mean?
Uncomfortably is an adverb meaning in a way that causes or conveys discomfort, uneasiness, or awkwardness. It is commonly used to describe physical discomfort, as in a chair sitting uncomfortably close, and to express a heightened awareness of an unsettling situation, as in feeling uncomfortably aware of someone’s silence. The word can also suggest that a person’s position, behavior, or surroundings seem conspicuously awkward or strained. Unlike the related adjective uncomfortable, which characterizes a person, thing, or situation, uncomfortably describes the manner or degree of an experience. It is useful because it allows writers and speakers to focus not only on the presence of discomfort but also on its intensity and social atmosphere. Although more precise than simply saying very uncomfortable, it remains natural and familiar in both British and American English.
adverbIn a way that causes or conveys discomfort, uneasiness, or awkwardness; with an uncomfortable degree or effect.
- In a way that causes, conveys, or involves discomfort, unease, or awkwardness.
"The chair sat uncomfortably close to the desk."
"The chair sat uncomfortably close to the desk."
"She felt uncomfortably aware of the silence in the room."
Uncomfortably gives unease a precise grammatical shape: it can describe a physical sensation, a social silence, or an excessive closeness with vivid economy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does uncomfortably come from?
Uncomfortably is formed by adding the adverbial suffix -ly to the adjective uncomfortable. Uncomfortable combines the negative prefix un- with comfortable, which in turn derives from comfort, ultimately from Latin comfortare, meaning to strengthen or give courage. The English family includes comfort, uncomfortable, comfortably, discomfort, and comforter, all reflecting the same underlying idea of physical ease or reassurance.
How uncomfortably is actually used
Uncomfortably is standard in both British and American English. It is neutral in ordinary descriptions of physical discomfort but can sound somewhat formal or literary when used for social unease or awkwardness. It often emphasizes an uncomfortable degree, such as proximity, awareness, or tension.
Easily confused with uncomfortably
“Uncomfortable” is an adjective describing a person, thing, or situation, while “uncomfortably” is an adverb describing the manner or degree of discomfort.