Words Ending
in LY
-LY is the primary adverb-forming suffix in English. QUICKLY (in a quick way), CLEARLY (in a clear way), DEEPLY (in a deep way). It also forms adjectives: LOVELY, FRIENDLY, LONELY. From FLY and SLY to BEAUTIFUL and QUICKLY, -LY words are essential for word games.
What Does -LY Mean?
The suffix -LY comes from Old English and serves two purposes. As an adverb suffix, it converts adjectives into adverbs of manner: QUICK → QUICKLY (in a quick manner), CLEAR → CLEARLY, EASY → EASILY. As an adjective suffix, it attaches to nouns to mean "having the qualities of": FRIEND → FRIENDLY, LOVE → LOVELY, TIME → TIMELY, LONE → LONELY. -LY adverbs are extremely common in English — nearly every adjective can become an adverb by adding -LY.
-LY Words by Length
5-letter -LY words
6-letter -LY words
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the -LY suffix mean?
-LY is the main adverb-forming suffix in English, converting adjectives to adverbs (QUICK → QUICKLY, CLEAR → CLEARLY). It also forms adjectives from nouns (FRIEND → FRIENDLY, TIME → TIMELY). Nearly any English adjective can become an adverb by adding -LY — making it the most productive English suffix for creating adverbs.
What are the highest-scoring -LY words in Scrabble?
Top -LY Scrabble plays: JAZZILY (28 pts), QUICKLY (23 pts), FUZZILY (24 pts), DIZZILY (22 pts), ZESTILY (17 pts), JOKILY (17 pts). Words combining -LY with high-value tiles (Z, J, Q, X) score best. QUICKLY is the most commonly played high-scorer — 23 points before bonus squares.
What 5-letter -LY words are good for Wordle?
5-letter -LY Wordle words: APPLY, APTLY, BADLY, BELLY, BURLY, CURLY, DAILY, EARLY, FULLY, HOTLY, JOLLY, LOWLY, MADLY, NEWLY, ODDLY, RALLY, REPLY, SADLY, SHYLY, TRULY, WRYLY. These are strong guesses in Wordle because -LY endings appear in many 5-letter words.
How do I form adverbs with -LY?
The basic rule: add -LY to the adjective. QUICK → QUICKLY, SLOW → SLOWLY, HAPPY → HAPPILY (change Y to I first), GENTLE → GENTLY (drop the E), SIMPLE → SIMPLY. For adjectives ending in -LE, replace -LE with -LY. For adjectives ending in -Y, change Y to I then add -LY. For adjectives ending in -IC, add -ALLY (BASIC → BASICALLY).