An adverb is a part of speech that provides additional description to a verb, adjective, or another adverb. They're noted for their -ly ending, although they don't have to end in -ly.
Ideally is an adverb, but so is indeed. Interesting, right? Let's roll on to uncover 50 of the most popular adverbs that start with I.
50 Adverbs Starting With I
Beside each I-adverb, you'll find a short definition and a sampling of synonyms:
Adverb | Definition | Synonym |
in conformity with an ideal | perfectly, correctly, impeccably | |
in a manner contrary to law | criminally, illicitly, unconstitutionally | |
at once | directly, instantaneously, promptly | |
to a great extent | vastly, extremely, extravagantly | |
in a way that is not directly expressed | inevitably, essentially, completely | |
used to emphasize a significant point | principally, basically, notably | |
contrary to what had been thought possible | incredulously, unbelievably, remarkably | |
in a way that evokes admiration | dramatically, excitingly, profoundly | |
in a manner not in accordance with accepted standards | poorly, clumsily, inadequately | |
something done accidentally or unintentionally | accidentally, carelessly, recklessly | |
in a manner that is not suitable or proper | improperly, wrongly, erroneously | |
used when a person has a new, but related, point | parenthetically, accidentally, subordinately | |
in a mistaken way | mistakenly, falsely, inaccurately | |
to an increasing extent | progressively, largely, flourishingly | |
to a great degree | amazingly, fabulously, uncommonly | |
in regular increases | accumulatively, additionally, cumulatively | |
a word used to emphasize the truth of something | absolutely, actually, honestly | |
something that is done or will go on for an undetermined period of time | continually, endlessly, regularly | |
in a way that is free from outside control or influence | alone, freely, separately | |
in a manner that is not directly caused by something | incidentally, accidentally, concomitantly | |
singularly; separately | independently, personally, singly | |
in a house or building | inside | |
in a manner that is impossible to avoid or prevent | unavoidably, undeniably, inescapably | |
for an unknown reason | oddly, peculiarly, strangely | |
without limit | extremely, unbelievably, boundlessly | |
in a relaxed, friendly, or unofficial manner | casually, carelessly, lackadaisically | |
not often; rarely | seldomly, intermittently, occasionally | |
something that is built-in or part of the makeup of a person or thing | innately, intrinsically, naturally | |
at the beginning | originally, firstly, principally | |
to an extreme degree | hugely, exponentially, greatly | |
right now | directly, forthwith, immediately | |
without being taught | inherently, intuitively, naturally | |
in a rational manner | intelligently, brilliantly, shrewdly | |
in a clever manner | cleverly, brilliantly, judiciously | |
to an extreme degree | deeply, fiercely, profoundly | |
on purpose | purposely, deliberately, willfully | |
something done with great focus | concentratedly, attentively, keenly | |
something that can be used in the same manner as something else | correspondingly, conversely, mutually | |
in a manner that holds attention | fascinatingly, appealingly, strikingly | |
stopping and starting at intervals | occasionally, periodically, sporadically | |
with reference to the inner surface or structure of something | inside, privately, inwardly | |
among many different nations | worldly, globally, universally | |
something done with great familiarity | closely, informally, personally | |
something extremely detailed | complexly, convolutedly, trickily | |
something associated with a person or thing's nature or inherent characteristics | basically, centrally, materially | |
done with skill, but without special training | instinctively, naturally, ostensibly | |
every time; always | endlessly, perpetually, regularly | |
toward the inside | penetratingly, privately | |
in a way that is directly opposite to what is expected | humorously, jokingly, amusingly | |
something that is done in such a way that it cannot be undone | finally, certainly, completely |
For even more adverbs from the rest of the alphabet, check out this List of 100 Adverbs!
What Is an Adverb?
Adverbs are helpful when we want to provide a little more information to a sentence. And, although they love to work with verbs, they can also team up with adjectives and other adverbs. A great way to spot adverbs is to look for words that end in -ly. Examples from the above list include "independently" and "intuitively."
We can get a little more specific than simply saying adverbs add intensity or emphasis to other words. Let's take a closer look at what, intrinsically, they aim to do:
- Adverbs Tell How It Happened: Adverbs like "incredibly" describe how something was done.
- Adverbs Tell Where It Happened: Adverbs like "inside" describe the location of where something happened.
- Adverbs Tell When It Happened: Adverbs like "instantly" describe when something took place.
- Adverbs Tell the Extent of an Action: Adverbs like "intermittently" describe the extent to which something did or did not happen.
For more on how adverbs work to intensify the meaning behind other words, check out these Examples of Adverbs.
10 Example Sentences
Let's look at 10 of the above I-adverbs hard at work in sentence form:
- He illegally parked his motorcycle.
- I'm not a mind reader, so you can't speak implicitly about things I don't understand.
- She passed the exam, most impossibly.
- He inadvertently left the backpack at home.
- Denise moved to Pakistan indefinitely.
- He inexplicably solved the puzzle.
- Intellectually, she understood the conundrum.
- Mitchell explained the tall tale interestingly.
- I could not intuitively discern his meaning.
- She irrevocably turned her back on him.
Intermittent Additions
Adverbs make wonderful - though intermittent - additions to our writing. We should use them, but with caution. If we pair up our verbs with too many -ly words, things will soon become clunky.
Adding adverbs intermittently to our writing, however, will make interesting additions to your writing. And, while you're exploring I-adverbs, why not dabble in some I-adjectives? As your adverbs dress up your nouns, so, too, can your adjectives dress up your nouns.