1. happening with the result you intended, so that a plan, effort, or attempt achie
1.adverbB1
Definition
happening with the result you intended, so that a plan, effort, or attempt achieves its purpose — for example, convincing a client to sign a contract or passing a driving test after several tries.
Example
Lara successfully completed her nursing degree while raising two young children.
adverb before main verb: successfully complete / pass / finish
The local team successfully negotiated a seven-year agreement with the port authority.
collocation: successfully negotiate an agreement
After three failed attempts, the climbers finally reached the summit successfully.
adverb at end of sentence for emphasis
The surgeon successfully treated the patient's rare condition using a new technique.
collocation: successfully treat a condition
Salma successfully argued that the project should receive additional funding.
adverb + verb of persuasion: successfully argue that...
All four describe doing something in a way that produces a positive result, but they differ in emphasis. Successfully highlights that a goal or intended outcome was achieved — the plan worked as hoped. Effectively stresses the strength of the impact: an effective solution solves the problem it was meant to solve. Efficiently adds the idea of using time, energy, or resources wisely: you get the same result with less waste. Well is the broadest and most informal, covering any action done to a good standard. For example: The team successfully launched the product (it reached the market as planned). They marketed it effectively (the campaign drove strong sales). They managed the budget efficiently (no overspending). And overall, the launch went well (everything was satisfactory).
Successfully is built from three parts. The base word success comes from Latin successus, meaning 'an advance, a good result,' which grew out of succedere — literally 'to come up under,' but used figuratively for 'to prosper.' The suffix -ful adds the idea of 'full of,' and the adverb ending -ly turns the adjective into 'in a manner that is full of success.' The word has been used in English since the 1500s.