wickedly

/ˈwɪkɪdli/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈɪkɪdli] /ˈwɪkɪdli/ (ame, ipa)

wickedly — adverb

1. used before an adjective to add strong emphasis, meaning 'to an extreme or extra

1.副詞B2
釋義

used before an adjective to add strong emphasis, meaning 'to an extreme or extraordinary degree' — like 'very' but with more force and a hint of admiration or alarm

例句

Bao found the final exam wickedly difficult despite weeks of preparation.

wickedly + adjective: informal intensifier, like 'extremely'

The August heat in Mumbai was wickedly intense that year.

同義詞
  • extremely

    the neutral, standard intensifier; lacks the informal, impressed tone of 'wickedly'

  • incredibly

    similarly informal and emphatic, but without the edgy or admiring flavour

  • ridiculously

    stronger than 'wickedly'; suggests something is so extreme it makes no sense

反義詞
  • slightly

    to a small degree, the opposite of extreme intensity

文法句型

wickedly + adjective

用法筆記

Only used before adjectives, never before verbs. Common in spoken British English. The tone is informal and often carries a note of impressed surprise — something is not just 'very X' but so X it is almost daunting.

常見錯誤

❌She danced wickedly at the party.' (intended as 'extremely well')
✅She danced incredibly well at the party.
💡this sense must directly modify an adjective; it cannot stand alone as an intensifier for a verb.

2. doing something a little bit wrong, unhealthy, or cheeky, but in a charming or f

2.副詞B2
釋義

doing something a little bit wrong, unhealthy, or cheeky, but in a charming or funny way that other people find appealing rather than upsetting

例句

Mizuki wickedly ordered the largest slice of chocolate cake for herself.

wickedly + verb describing a small, pleasurable transgression

Sophia gave her brother a wickedly clever smile before revealing the surprise.

同義詞
  • mischievously

    similar playful naughtiness, but without the 'attractive' implication

  • naughtily

    more childish; often used for children's minor misbehaviour

  • cheekily

    emphasises boldness and impudence rather than charm

反義詞
  • innocently

    without any wrongdoing or guilty awareness

文法句型

wickedly + verb

wickedly + adjective

用法筆記

Frequently used with verbs of expression (smile, grin, laugh) and minor rule-breaking (skip, sneak, hide). The subject is almost always a person; the action is never truly harmful.

常見錯誤

❌The criminal wickedly smiled at the jury.
✅The criminal smirked at the jury.
💡sense 2 is for charming, attractive badness; a defendant's smile in court is not playful or endearing.

3. acting with cruel or evil intentions — doing real harm on purpose, without conce

3.副詞B2
釋義

acting with cruel or evil intentions — doing real harm on purpose, without concern for right and wrong

例句

Eitan wickedly spread rumours that ended his neighbour's ten-year marriage.

wickedly + verb for acting with deliberate evil intent

Anjali discovered her business partner had wickedly emptied their shared bank account.

同義詞
  • evilly

    suggests deep, almost supernatural moral corruption; less common in everyday speech

  • maliciously

    focuses on the deliberate desire to cause harm, often in a targeted or calculated way

  • cruelly

    stresses causing suffering and being indifferent to that suffering

  • viciously

    adds an element of aggression or physical violence

反義詞
  • kindly

    acting with care and goodwill

  • virtuously

    acting according to high moral standards

文法句型

wickedly + verb

用法筆記

This is the original, literal sense of the word — it describes actions that involve genuine moral wrongdoing, not minor mischief. Distinguish from sense 2, which is for playful or charming naughtiness.

常見錯誤

❌He wickedly ate the last biscuit.' (for a minor, playful act)
✅He mischievously ate the last biscuit.
💡sense 3 describes real moral evil; for playful naughtiness, use sense 2 or a word like 'mischievously.'