lamely

/ˈleɪmli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈleɪmli/ (ame, ipa)

lamely — adverb

1. if someone says or does something lamely, they do it without strength, energy, o

1.副詞C1
釋義

if someone says or does something lamely, they do it without strength, energy, or conviction, so it fails to convince listeners or feels weak as an effort.

例句

Adisa apologised lamely for missing the meeting, blaming bad traffic.

verb + lamely: apologise / explain / reply lamely

Sumin smiled lamely when the teacher asked who broke the window.

describing a weak, embarrassed reaction

同義詞
  • feebly

    very similar; emphasises lack of strength behind the action

  • weakly

    broader; can describe physical or emotional weakness, not just unconvincing speech

  • unconvincingly

    narrower; focused only on the listener's reaction, not on the speaker's energy

  • half-heartedly

    stresses lack of effort or enthusiasm rather than failure to convince

反義詞

用法筆記

Frequently modifies speech verbs such as 'reply', 'answer', 'explain', 'apologise', 'add', 'finish' — signalling that what follows is unconvincing or feeble. Less common before action verbs, where it suggests a half-hearted gesture.

常見錯誤

❌She walked lamely down the stairs' (when describing a limp).
✅She limped down the stairs.
💡modern 'lamely' is almost always about weak speech or feeble effort, not physical limping; the literal sense sounds old-fashioned or offensive.