nastily

IPA/ˈnɑːstɪli/
IPA/ˈnæstɪli/

nastily — adverb

1. showing a cruel or mean attitude toward another person through what you say, the

1.adverbB2
Definition

showing a cruel or mean attitude toward another person through what you say, the way you look at them, or how you treat them.

Example

Elena's boss replied nastily when she arrived late, embarrassing her in front of everyone.

collocation: replied / commented / spoke + nastily

The children laughed nastily at Ishaan when he tripped over the backpack in the hallway.

collocation: laughed nastily at someone

Common collocations
  • replied nastily
  • laughed nastily
  • glanced nastily
  • spoke nastily
  • treated nastily
Synonyms
  • cruelly

    emphasises causing pain or suffering, stronger than nastily

  • harshly

    focuses on strictness or severity rather than meanness

  • spitefully

    implies a deliberate wish to hurt or offend

Antonyms
  • kindly

    showing warmth and care

  • gently

    soft and careful in approach

Grammar Patterns

modifies verbs of speech, looks, or behaviour

Usage Note

Commonly pairs with verbs of speaking (replied, said, commented) and verbs of looking (glanced, stared, looked).

Common Mistakes

She spoke to me nasty.
She spoke to me nastily.
'Nastily' is the adverb form; 'nasty' is an adjective and cannot modify verbs.

2. used to describe something that is very bad, uncomfortable, or threatening in it

2.adverbB2
Definition

used to describe something that is very bad, uncomfortable, or threatening in its appearance, taste, smell, or effect — for example, a wound that looks seriously infected, weather that turns bitterly cold, or a smell that is deeply unpleasant.

Example

The wound on Mira's leg had become nastily infected, so the doctor prescribed strong antibiotics.

collocation: become + nastily + adjective (infected, swollen)

The weather turned nastily cold that afternoon, with freezing rain and strong winds.

collocation: weather + turned + nastily + adjective

Common collocations
  • became nastily infected
  • turned nastily cold
  • sounded nastily dry
  • smelled nastily of
  • shattered nastily
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • pleasantly

    giving a comfortable or enjoyable feeling

  • nicely

    in an agreeable or attractive way

Grammar Patterns

modifies adjectives describing negative conditions

modifies verbs of sensory perception

Usage Note

Often appears with verbs of sensory experience (smell, taste, sound, feel) or with verbs of change (become, turn, get) to describe a worsening condition.

Common Mistakes

The soup tasted nasty.
The soup tasted nastily of vinegar.
Use 'nasty' (adjective) to describe the soup itself; use 'nastily' to modify how it tasted (unusual but correct for manner). More naturally, say 'The soup had a nasty taste.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four words describe treating someone badly, but they differ in tone and intensity. 'Cruelly' is the strongest — it suggests deliberate infliction of pain or suffering, like someone who enjoys seeing others hurt. 'Nastily' is less intense and more everyday; it describes petty meanness in ordinary situations, such as a rude comment or an unfriendly look. 'Harshly' focuses on strictness or severity rather than cruelty — a teacher who grades harshly isn't being mean, just tough. 'Spitefully' carries a sense of vindictiveness; a spiteful remark aims to get back at someone for a real or imagined wrong. 'Meanly' is close to 'nastily' but slightly more informal and often used of children. For example, a child might meanly refuse to share toys, while an adult might nastily criticise a colleague's work in a meeting.

cruelly ↗harshly ↗spitefully ↗meanly ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • speak nastily to
  • treat someone nastily
  • turn nastily cold

Prepositions

Etymology

Old Scandinavian or DutchMiddle EnglishModern English

'Nastily' comes from the adjective 'nasty', which first appeared in English around the 1300s. The origin of 'nasty' is uncertain — it may come from an old Scandinavian word 'nasket' meaning 'dirty' or 'foul', or from the Dutch word 'nestig', which means 'dirty like a bird's nest'. The adverb form 'nastily' was formed by adding the '-ly' suffix, a common way to turn adjectives into adverbs in English. Over time, the meaning broadened from 'physically dirty or unclean' to include moral unpleasantness and cruelty.