understandably

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌʌndɚˈstændəbli/ UK /ˌʌndəˈstændəbli/ See IPA manual

adv

Meanings

1

adv
in a way that is reasonable or easy to comprehend

She was understandably upset by the abrupt cancellation.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · in a way that is reasonable... reasonably naturally justifiablycomprehensiblyclearly

Opposites

inexplicably incomprehensibly unreasonably

Word family

Related forms understandable understand understanding

Etymology

From understandable (understand + -able) + -ly. Understand is from Old English understandan ('to comprehend'), literally 'to stand in the midst of', from under- + standan ('to stand').

-ly Old English under Old English standan Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# understandably

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** ˌʌndɚˈstændəbli
**IPA (UK):** ˌʌndəˈstændəbli

## Meanings
1. in a way that is reasonable or easy to comprehend

## Examples
- She was understandably upset by the abrupt cancellation.

## Synonyms
- reasonably
- naturally
- justifiably
- comprehensibly
- clearly

## Antonyms
- inexplicably
- incomprehensibly
- unreasonably

## Related Forms
- understandable
- understand
- understanding

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: -ly
- Root: under
- Root: standan

## Etymology
From understandable (understand + -able) + -ly. Understand is from Old English understandan ('to comprehend'), literally 'to stand in the midst of', from under- + standan ('to stand').

## AI Etymology
Understandably is from understandable (understand + -able) + -ly. Understand is from Old English understandan ('to comprehend'), literally 'to stand in the midst of', from under- + standan ('to stand'). Important recorded forms include -ly (Old English), under (Old English), and standan (Old English). Morphologically, the under- element contributes the sense of beneath, lower rank, concealment, or insufficiency, depending on the base it modifies. The modern sense is largely compositional, with the historical elements narrowing into a stable English lexical item. In current use it covers in a way that is reasonable or easy to comprehend. The wider family includes related words such as understandable, understand, and understanding.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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understandably

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