The Adverb of Wise: Wisely
The adverb of wise is wisely.
How wisely is formed
The adjective ends in -e, and it stays: wise + ly = wisely.
The same treatment as sincere → sincerely and polite → politely.
Wisely in a sentence
| She wisely said nothing. | Front or mid position, commenting on the choice. |
| He invested his savings wisely. | With good judgement. |
| Wisely, they postponed the launch. | Sentence-initial, judging the whole action. |
Where it is actually used
Knowing the form is one thing; knowing the company a word keeps is what makes it sound natural. These are the patterns wisely appears in most often.
| wisely chose / decided / declined | Approving of a decision. |
| spend / invest / use wisely | About resources. |
| Wisely, … | Opening a sentence to comment on what follows. |
Wisely or something else?
Several adverbs sit close to wisely, and the difference is usually meaning rather than formality.
| sensibly | Practical rather than deep. A sensible choice is obvious; a wise one may not be. |
| prudently | Specifically about caution with risk, especially money. |
| shrewdly | About seeing an advantage others missed. It can imply self-interest. |
The mistake to watch for
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The project went well budget-wise, but wisely over schedule. | The project went well in terms of budget, but ran over schedule. |
The suffix -wise in budget-wise or time-wise has nothing to do with the adjective wise. Mixing the two produces sentences that do not mean anything.
The -wise suffix is a different word. English uses -wise to mean “in this direction” (clockwise, lengthwise, otherwise) and, more loosely, “as far as this is concerned” (moneywise, weather-wise). The second kind is informal and widely disliked in formal writing – in terms of money or simply financially is safer.
Related forms
Pronunciation: WISE-lee, two syllables.
| Adjective | wise |
| Adverb | wisely |
| Noun | wisdom |
| Opposite | unwisely / foolishly |
Practice
Fill the gap, then check yourself.
- He ___ kept the receipt.
- Turn the dial ___ to tighten it.
- She invested ___ and retired early.
Answers: 1. wisely 2. clockwise 3. wisely / prudently
Frequently asked
Is otherwise related to wise?
Only distantly. The -wise in otherwise comes from an old noun meaning “way” or “manner” – the same root that gives likewise. The adjective wise is a separate word.
