The -LY Suffix: Turning Adjectives into Adverbs Since Forever
Adding -LY to an adjective is one of the first grammar tricks English speakers learn: quick becomes quickly, careful becomes carefully, acid becomes ACIDLY. This mechanical productivity is why -LY is among the most populated endings in any dictionary. For word game players, this means opportunity. In Scrabble, extending an adjective already on the board by adding -LY is a reliable way to score twice on the same word. ACUTELY, ADEPTLY, and AFFABLY all show how a 6-point suffix can turn a modest play into a strong one.
Not all -LY words are adverbs, though. FAMILY, BELLY, BULLY, HOLY, and JELLY are nouns or adjectives that just happen to end in those two letters. English also has -LY adjectives formed from nouns: GHOSTLY, FRIENDLY, LOVELY. This ambiguity keeps crossword clues interesting — a clue reading "In a kind way" points to KINDLY the adverb, but "Sacred" points to HOLY, which is structurally different despite sharing the ending.
Wordle strategy note: -LY is a strong guess for positions 4-5 in a five-letter word. FLY, DAILY, EARLY, APPLY, BELLY — the five-letter -LY words are common enough to be worth guessing early. For other productive suffixes, try words ending in A and words ending in O. Players interested in less common endings can browse words ending in FE or words ending in OX.
FAQ
Can you add -LY to any adjective in Scrabble?
No. Some adjectives don't take -LY (you can't play GOODLY in most modern dictionaries as an adverb), and some -LY formations aren't in the official word list. Always verify before extending a word. For other common extensions, see words ending in A.
What five-letter -LY words are best for Wordle?
EARLY, APTLY, LOWLY, DIMLY, CURLY, and BELLY cover a wide range of common consonants and vowels. Starting with one of these as a second or third guess can confirm the -LY pattern quickly. Also consider words ending in A for alternative final-letter guesses.
Are there -LY words without a base adjective?
Yes — ANOMALY, ITALY, FAMILY, RALLY, and TALLY don't derive from adjectives. These are standalone words where -LY is part of the root, not a suffix. Crossword constructors use them often. For more root-based endings, see words ending in O.
Three-Letter Words (3)
FLYPLYSLY
Four-Letter Words (22)
ABLYAGLYALLYCOLYDULYEELYHOLYIDLYILLYINLYLILYMOLYOILYONLYPALYPILYPOLYRELYRULYUGLYWALYWILY
Five-Letter Words (105)
AMPLYAPPLYAPTLYBADLYBALLYBELLYBIALYBIGLYBILLYBULLYBURLYCOALYCOLLYCOOLYCOYLYCULLYCURLYDAILYDALLYDELLYDILLYDIMLYDOILYDOLLYDOOLYDOYLYDRILYDRYLYDULLYEARLYFATLYFELLYFERLYFEYLYFILLYFITLYFOLLYFULLYGAILYGALLYGAYLYGILLYGIRLYGODLYGOLLYGULLYHAPLYHILLYHIPLYHOLLYHOOLYHOTLYHURLYICILYIMPLYJELLYJOLLYJOWLYKELLYLAXLYLOLLYLOWLYMADLYMANLYMARLYMEALYMOLLYMUHLYNELLYNEWLYNOBLYNOILYODDLYPALLYPATLYRALLYRAWLYREDLYREFLYREPLYROILYSADLYSALLYSCALYSEELYSHALYSHILYSHYLYSILLYSLILYSLYLYSONLYSULLYSURLYTALLYTELLYTRULYVEALYWALLYWANLY
and 5 more — use the solver above to search
Six-Letter Words (320)
ACIDLYAERILYAGEDLYAIRILYANALLYARCHLYARIDLYARTILYAUNTLYAVIDLYBALDLYBARELYBARFLYBASELYBASSLYBLUELYBODILYBOLDLYBOTFLYBOXILYBRAWLYBROLLYBUBBLYBURBLYBUSILYCAGILYCALMLYCHALLYCHICLYCHILLYCICELYCOLDLYCOMELYCOMPLYCOOLLYCOSILYCOSTLYCOZILYCRAWLYCUDDLYCURTLYCUTELYDAFTLYDAMPLYDANGLYDANKLYDARKLYDAYFLYDEADLYDEAFLYDEARLYDEEPLYDEFTLYDEWILYDHOOLYDIDDLYDIMPLYDINKLYDIRELYDOPILYDOUBLYDOURLYDOZILYDRABLYDRAWLYDROLLYDROOLYDRUMLYDUALLYDUMBLYEASILYEDGILYEERILYEMBOLYEVENLYEVILLYFAIRLYFAMILYFEATLYFECKLYFEEBLYFICKLYFIDDLYFINELYFIRMLYFLATLYFONDLYFOULLYFOXILYFREELYFRILLYGADFLYGAINLYGAMELYGAMILYGANGLYGENTLYGIGGLYGLADLYGLEGLY
and 220 more — use the solver above to search
Seven-Letter Words (557)
ACRIDLYACTORLYACUTELYADDEDLYADEPTLYADULTLYAFFABLYAGILELYALERTLYALIENLYALOOFLYAMIABLYANGERLYANGRILYANOMALYANTICLYAPETALYAPHYLLYAPISHLYAREALLYAUDIBLYAURALLYAWFULLYAXIALLYBAGGILYBAIRNLYBALKILYBALMILYBANALLYBASALLYBAWDILYBEADILYBEAMILYBEASTLYBEEFILYBIFIDLYBLACKLYBLANDLYBLANKLYBLEAKLYBLINDLYBLOWFLYBLUFFLYBLUNTLYBOGUSLYBONNILYBOOZILYBOSSILYBRAMBLYBRASHLYBRAVELYBRIEFLYBRISKLYBRISTLYBRITTLYBROADLYBRUTELYBUIRDLYBULKILYBUMPILYBURLILYBUSHILYBUXOMLYCAMPILYCANNILYCAPABLYCATTILYCAVALLYCECALLYCHARILYCHEAPLYCHEERLYCHIEFLYCHILDLYCHIMBLYCIVILLYCLEANLYCLEARLYCLERKLYCLOSELYCOCKILYCORNILYCOURTLYCOWEDLYCRACKLYCRANKLYCRASSLYCRAZILYCRINKLYCRISPLYCROSSLYCRUDELYCRUELLYCRUMBLYCRUMPLYCRUSILYCUBICLYCURABLYCURLILYCUSHILY
and 457 more — use the solver above to search
Eight-Letter Words (754)
ABASEDLYABJECTLYABORALLYABRUPTLYABSENTLYABSURDLYACHINGLYACTIVELYACTUALLYADORABLYADROITLYAERIALLYAFFINELYAGUISHLYAIMFULLYALDERFLYALPINELYAMAZEDLYAMENABLYAMICABLYAMORALLYAMUSEDLYANIMALLYANNUALLYANODALLYAPICALLYARDENTLYARGUABLYARRANTLYARTFULLYASSEMBLYASTRALLYASTUTELYATONALLYAUGUSTLYAVERSELYAVOWABLYAVOWEDLYBADGERLYBANKERLYBARRENLYBEARABLYBEGGARLYBENIGNLYBIASEDLYBIDDABLYBIHOURLYBINATELYBITCHILYBITINGLYBITTERLYBIWEEKLYBIYEARLYBLACKFLYBLAMABLYBLEARILYBLITHELYBLOODILYBLOUSILYBLOWSILYBLOWZILYBLURRILYBODINGLYBORINGLYBOTCHILYBOUNCILYBOVINELYBOWINGLYBOYISHLYBRAINILYBRASSILYBRAWNILYBRAZENLYBREEZILYBRIDALLYBRIGHTLYBROKENLYBROODILYBRUTALLYBUCCALLYBUNCHILYCAECALLYCANDIDLYCARNALLYCASUALLYCATCHFLYCAUDALLYCAUSALLYCHANCILYCHASTELYCHATTILYCHEEKILYCHEERILYCHEESILYCHESTILYCHILLILYCHIRPILYCHOICELYCHOPPILYCHORALLY
and 654 more — use the solver above to search
Nine-Letter Words (872)
ABASHEDLYABIDINGLYABUSIVELYABYSMALLYACCUSABLYACTINALLYADAMANTLYADJUNCTLYADMIRABLYADORINGLYADRENALLYADVERSELYADVISABLYADVISEDLYAGELESSLYAGREEABLYAIMLESSLYALARMEDLYALLEGEDLYALLOWABLYALLOWEDLYALTERABLYAMATIVELYAMAZINGLYAMOROUSLYAMPHIBOLYAMUSINGLYANCIENTLYANGULARLYANIMATELYANNULARLYANTICALLYANTIQUELYANXIOUSLYAQUEOUSLYARCUATELYARDUOUSLYARTLESSLYASEXUALLYASHAMEDLYASININELYASSUMABLYASSUMEDLYASSUREDLYATONINGLYAUREATELYAURORALLYAUSTERELYAVAILABLYAVERAGELYAVOIDABLYAWESOMELYAWKWARDLYBABYISHLYBALEFULLYBANEFULLYBAROQUELYBASHFULLYBASICALLYBASTARDLYBEAMINGLYBEAMISHLYBEARISHLYBELATEDLYBEMUSEDLYBERSERKLYBESTIALLYBIASSEDLYBIAXIALLYBIFILARLYBIGOTEDLYBILIOUSLYBIMONTHLYBINDINGLYBIPEDALLYBIZARRELYBLATANTLYBLAZINGLYBLESSEDLYBLOTCHILYBLURREDLYBOILINGLYBOOKISHLYBOOMINGLYBOORISHLYBOTCHEDLYBRACINGLYBREATHILYBRIMFULLYBRITTLELYBROTHERLYBRUSQUELYBRUTISHLYBULBOUSLYBULGINGLYBULLISHLYBUMPKINLYBUOYANTLYBURNINGLYBUTCHERLY
and 772 more — use the solver above to search
Ten-Letter Words (808)
ABERRANTLYABLATIVELYABNORMALLYABOMINABLYABORTIVELYABRASIVELYABSOLUTELYABSTRACTLYABSTRUSELYABUNDANTLYACCEPTABLYACCEPTEDLYACCESSIBLYACCIDENTLYACCURATELYACCURSEDLYACCUSINGLYACROMEGALYACTIONABLYADAPTIVELYADDITIVELYADEQUATELYADHERENTLYADHESIVELYADJACENTLYADMIRINGLYADMITTEDLYADOPTIVELYAFFECTEDLYAFFERENTLYAFFLUENTLYAFFORDABLYAGITATEDLYALARMINGLYALLURINGLYALLUSIVELYALOGICALLYALVEOLARLYANEMICALLYANIMATEDLYANNOYINGLYANODICALLYANTERIORLYANTIFAMILYAPPARENTLYAPPOSITELYAPPROVABLYARBOREALLYARCTICALLYARMORIALLYARROGANTLYARTERIALLYASSERTEDLYATOMICALLYATYPICALLYAUDITORILYAUTUMNALLYAVERSIVELYAXENICALLYBACKWARDLYBAFFLINGLYBECOMINGLYBELIEVABLYBIANNUALLYBIBLICALLYBIBULOUSLYBIENNIALLYBIFACIALLYBIGAMOUSLYBIMANUALLYBINAURALLYBINOMIALLYBISEXUALLYBLAMEFULLYBLIMPISHLYBLINDINGLYBLISSFULLYBLIZZARDLYBLURRINGLYBLUSHINGLYBOASTFULLYBOOTLESSLYBOUNCINGLYBROODINGLYBUMBLINGLYBUNGLINGLYBUSTLINGLYCANOROUSLYCAPTIOUSLYCARDINALLYCARELESSLYCATHODALLYCAUTIOUSLYCAVALIERLYCEREBRALLYCHANGEABLYCHARITABLYCHARMINGLYCHEAPISHLYCHEERFULLY
and 708 more — use the solver above to search
Eleven-Letter Words (812)
ABDOMINALLYABHORRENTLYABIOTICALLYABSORBINGLYABSTINENTLYACCENTUALLYACCEPTINGLYACCORDANTLYACCORDINGLYACCOUNTABLYACERBICALLYACROPETALLYACTINICALLYACTUARIALLYADJECTIVELYADVERBIALLYADVERTENTLYAEROBICALLYAFFECTINGLYAFFECTIVELYAGGREGATELYAGGRIEVEDLYAGONIZINGLYALTERNATELYAMBIGUOUSLYAMBITIOUSLYAMBROSIALLYAMORPHOUSLYANALOGOUSLYANCESTRALLYANECDOTALLYANENCEPHALYANGELICALLYANOMALOUSLYANONYMOUSLYANTENATALLYANTIDOTALLYAPHETICALLYAPPALLINGLYAPPEALINGLYAPPLAUDABLYAPPRECIABLYAPPROVINGLYAQUATICALLYARBITRARILYARCHAICALLYARRESTINGLYASCENDANTLYASCETICALLYASEPTICALLYASSERTIVELYASSIDUOUSLYATROCIOUSLYATTENTIVELYAUDACIOUSLYAUTOCEPHALYAUTOSOMALLYAVUNCULARLYAZIMUTHALLYBACTERIALLYBANTERINGLYBAPTISMALLYBARBAROUSLYBAREFACEDLYBASIPETALLYBEAUTEOUSLYBEAUTIFULLYBEFITTINGLYBEGUILINGLYBENIGHTEDLYBENIGNANTLYBIBLIOPHILYBILATERALLYBILINGUALLYBINOCULARLYBIOSOCIALLYBIPARTITELYBIPINNATELYBLAMELESSLYBLOODLESSLYBODACIOUSLYBOTANICALLYBOUNDLESSLYBOUNTEOUSLYBOUNTIFULLYBRAINLESSLYBRAINSICKLYBRILLIANTLYBRONCHIALLYBUCOLICALLYBUMPTIOUSLYBURLESQUELYCADASTRALLYCALORICALLYCANCEROUSLYCANONICALLYCAPACIOUSLYCARESSINGLYCARESSIVELYCATARRHALLY
and 712 more — use the solver above to search
Twelve-Letter Words (777)
ABORIGINALLYABSTEMIOUSLYABSTRACTEDLYACADEMICALLYACCIDENTALLYACOUSTICALLYACROSTICALLYADDITIONALLYADJECTIVALLYADMONITORILYADOLESCENTLYADULTEROUSLYAFFLICTIVELYAGGRESSIVELYALCHEMICALLYAMATEURISHLYAMBIVALENTLYAMBULATORILYAMITOTICALLYAMPHIBIOUSLYANAGOGICALLYANALOGICALLYANALYTICALLYANARCHICALLYANATOMICALLYANTECEDENTLYANTIMONOPOLYANTIPHONALLYANTISOCIALLYAORISTICALLYAPOCRYPHALLYAPOLITICALLYAPPETIZINGLYAPPOSITIVELYAPPRAISINGLYARCHETYPALLYAROMATICALLYARTICULATELYARTIFICIALLYARTISTICALLYASSAULTIVELYASTOUNDINGLYASTRINGENTLYATHLETICALLYATTRACTIVELYAUSPICIOUSLYAUTISTICALLYAUTOECIOUSLYAUTOGENOUSLYAUTONOMOUSLYAVARICIOUSLYBACKHANDEDLYBARBARICALLYBATHETICALLYBEATIFICALLYBEGRUDGINGLYBEHAVIORALLYBENEFICENTLYBENEFICIALLYBENEVOLENTLYBESEECHINGLYBEWILDEREDLYBEWITCHINGLYBIGHEARTEDLYBIOLOGICALLYBIPARENTALLYBLACKGUARDLYBLISTERINGLYBLITHESOMELYBLUNDERINGLYBLUSTERINGLYBOISTEROUSLYBOTTOMLESSLYBREATHLESSLYBULLHEADEDLYCADAVEROUSLYCALAMITOUSLYCALCAREOUSLYCALCULATEDLYCALUMNIOUSLYCAPACITIVELYCAPRICIOUSLYCARTOONISHLYCATHODICALLYCATHOLICALLYCATIONICALLYCENSORIOUSLYCENTENNIALLYCEPHALICALLYCEREMONIALLYCHANGELESSLYCHERUBICALLYCHIMERICALLYCHIVALROUSLYCHOLERICALLYCIRCUITOUSLYCLANGOROUSLYCLATTERINGLYCLIMATICALLYCOINCIDENTLY
and 677 more — use the solver above to search
Thirteen-Letter Words (605)
ABIOGENICALLYACQUIESCENTLYACQUISITIVELYACRIMONIOUSLYACROBATICALLYACRONYMICALLYADIABATICALLYADMONISHINGLYADUMBRATIVELYADVENTUROUSLYADVERSATIVELYAESTHETICALLYAFFECTIONALLYAFFIRMATIVELYAGGREGATIVELYAGONISTICALLYAGRONOMICALLYALCOHOLICALLYALGEBRAICALLYALLEGORICALLYALLOTYPICALLYALTERNATIVELYANACHRONOUSLYANAEROBICALLYANAPHORICALLYANECDOTICALLYANTIGENICALLYAPATHETICALLYAPERIODICALLYAPODICTICALLYAPOMICTICALLYAPPELLATIVELYAPPLICATIVELYAPPREHENSIBLYAPPROPRIATELYAPPROXIMATELYAPTITUDINALLYARTHRITICALLYASSOCIATIVELYASSORTATIVELYASTHMATICALLYASTONISHINGLYASYNDETICALLYATAVISTICALLYATHEISTICALLYATOMISTICALLYATTITUDINALLYATTRIBUTIVELYAUTHENTICALLYAUTOMATICALLYAUTONOMICALLYAVOCATIONALLYAXIOLOGICALLYAXIOMATICALLYBALLISTICALLYBELLIGERENTLYBEWILDERINGLYBIMOLECULARLYBIOCHEMICALLYBISECTIONALLYBITTERSWEETLYBLASPHEMOUSLYBOMBASTICALLYBRACHYCEPHALYBURGLARIOUSLYCACOPHONOUSLYCALCULATINGLYCARNIVOROUSLYCATABOLICALLYCATALYTICALLYCATATONICALLYCATEGORICALLYCENTRIFUGALLYCENTRIPETALLYCEREMONIOUSLYCHALLENGINGLYCHROMATICALLYCHROMOSOMALLYCINEMATICALLYCIRCUMSPECTLYCLADISTICALLYCLAIRVOYANTLYCLANDESTINELYCLEARHEADEDLYCLIMACTICALLYCOEXTENSIVELYCOLDHEARTEDLYCOLLISIONALLYCOMMENSURABLYCOMPANIONABLYCOMPARATIVELYCOMPENDIOUSLYCOMPETITIVELYCOMPLAININGLYCOMPLAISANTLYCOMPLICATEDLYCOMPRESSIVELYCONCOMITANTLYCONDITIONALLYCONFLICTINGLY
and 505 more — use the solver above to search
Fourteen-Letter Words (394)
ABSENTMINDEDLYACCELERATINGLYACCUMULATIVELYACHROMATICALLYACKNOWLEDGEDLYADAPTATIONALLYADRENERGICALLYADVANTAGEOUSLYADVENTITIOUSLYAERONAUTICALLYAFFECTIONATELYAGRICULTURALLYALLITERATIVELYALLOPATRICALLYALLOSTERICALLYALPHABETICALLYALTRUISTICALLYAMBIDEXTROUSLYANCHORITICALLYANESTHETICALLYANTIBIOTICALLYANTIDROMICALLYANTISEPTICALLYANTITHETICALLYAPHORISTICALLYAPOLOGETICALLYAPOPLECTICALLYAPOSEMATICALLYAPOTROPAICALLYAPPRECIATIVELYAPPREHENSIVELYARITHMETICALLYASTROLOGICALLYASTRONOMICALLYASYMMETRICALLYASYMPTOTICALLYASYNCHRONOUSLYAUTOCRATICALLYBACTERICIDALLYBAROMETRICALLYBIOGENETICALLYBIOGRAPHICALLYBLOODTHIRSTILYBOLOMETRICALLYBREATHTAKINGLYCANTANKEROUSLYCATALEPTICALLYCLAIRAUDIENTLYCOINCIDENTALLYCOLORISTICALLYCOMMENSURATELYCOMPREHENSIBLYCONCENTRATEDLYCONCENTRICALLYCONFESSIONALLYCONFIDENTIALLYCONSERVATIVELYCONSTITUTIVELYCONSTRUCTIVELYCONTEMPORARILYCONTEMPTUOUSLYCONTERMINOUSLYCONTRAPUNTALLYCONTRIBUTIVELYCONTUMACIOUSLYCONTUMELIOUSLYCONVENTIONALLYCOSMOLOGICALLYCYBERNETICALLYCYTOSTATICALLYDELIBERATIVELYDEMOCRATICALLYDEMORALIZINGLYDEPARTMENTALLYDEPRECIATINGLYDIACHRONICALLYDIAGENETICALLYDIAGNOSTICALLYDIFFERENTIALLYDIPLOMATICALLYDISAPPOINTEDLYDISAPPROVINGLYDISCIPLINARILYDISCONNECTEDLYDISCONSOLATELYDISCONTENTEDLYDISCOURAGINGLYDISCOURTEOUSLYDISINGENUOUSLYDISPUTATIOUSLYDISTRIBUTIVELYDOLICHOCEPHALYDORSIVENTRALLYDORSOVENTRALLYEARTHSHAKINGLYEFFERVESCENTLYEGOCENTRICALLYELECTRONICALLYEMBARRASSINGLYEMBLEMATICALLY
and 294 more — use the solver above to search
Fifteen-Letter Words (263)
ACCOMMODATINGLYAERODYNAMICALLYALGORITHMICALLYANACOLUTHICALLYANIMATRONICALLYANISOTROPICALLYAPOCALYPTICALLYARCHITECTURALLYARGUMENTATIVELYASTRONAUTICALLYASTROPHYSICALLYATMOSPHERICALLYAUTHORITATIVELYAUTOCHTHONOUSLYAUTOGRAPHICALLYAUTOTROPHICALLYBATHYMETRICALLYBIDIRECTIONALLYBIOMECHANICALLYCATACLYSMICALLYCHEMOTACTICALLYCHOLINERGICALLYCHRONOLOGICALLYCIRCUMAMBIENTLYCLEISTOGAMOUSLYCOEDUCATIONALLYCOENZYMATICALLYCOLLABORATIVELYCOMBINATORIALLYCOMMEMORATIVELYCOMMISERATINGLYCOMMUNICATIVELYCOMMUNISTICALLYCOMPASSIONATELYCOMPLEMENTARILYCOMPLIMENTARILYCOMPOSITIONALLYCOMPREHENSIVELYCOMPUTATIONALLYCONDESCENDINGLYCONGRESSIONALLYCONJUGATIONALLYCONJUNCTIONALLYCONSCIENTIOUSLYCONSENTANEOUSLYCONSEQUENTIALLYCONTEMPLATIVELYCONTRADICTORILYCONTROVERSIALLYCORRESPONDINGLYCOULOMETRICALLYCYTOGENETICALLYCYTOPLASMICALLYDEMOGRAPHICALLYDEMONSTRATIVELYDEVELOPMENTALLYDIASTROPHICALLYDISAPPOINTINGLYDISCONCERTINGLYDISCONTINUOUSLYDISENCHANTINGLYDISHEARTENINGLYDISINTERESTEDLYDISPASSIONATELYDISRESPECTFULLYDISTINGUISHABLYDITHYRAMBICALLYDRAMATURGICALLYDYSLOGISTICALLYECONOMETRICALLYEMBRYOLOGICALLYENTOMOLOGICALLYENVIRONMENTALLYEPEIROGENICALLYEPIPHENOMENALLYEUDIOMETRICALLYEUPHEMISTICALLYEXTRACELLULARLYEXTRAJUDICIALLYEXTRAORDINARILYFETISHISTICALLYGASTRONOMICALLYGEOMAGNETICALLYGEOSTROPHICALLYGEOTECTONICALLYGNOTOBIOTICALLYGRANDILOQUENTLYGRAVIMETRICALLYGRAVITATIONALLYHEARTBREAKINGLYHELIOMETRICALLYHEMODYNAMICALLYHERMENEUTICALLYHETEROGENEOUSLYHISTOCHEMICALLYHOLOGRAPHICALLYHOMEOPATHICALLYHORTICULTURALLYHYDROSTATICALLYHYPERCRITICALLY
and 163 more — use the solver above to search