Respectfully vs Respectively: When to Use Each
Respectfully means with respect. Respectively means in the order just given.
I respectfully disagree. Gold and silver went to Kenya and Norway respectively.
The test that settles it
Respectfully contains full — full of respect. The other one is about order.
“___ submitted” → with respect, so respectfully.
“aged 6 and 9 ___” → matching two lists, so respectively.
Respectfully: with respect
An adverb of manner. It describes how something is done — politely, deferentially. It is the standard closing of formal letters and legal filings.
He respectfully declined.
She listened respectfully.
Respectfully yours.
Swap in politely. If it works, respectfully.
Respectively: in the order listed
It links two parallel lists, telling the reader that the first item matches the first, the second the second, and so on. It needs two lists to be useful at all.
The winners were Ana and Luis, aged 12 and 14 respectively.
Sales rose 3% and 7% respectively.
They come from Peru and Chile respectively.
Are there two matching lists? Then respectively.
Side by side
| Respectfully | Respectively |
|---|---|
| With respect | In the order given |
| How something is done | How two lists pair up |
| Contains full | Contains -ive |
| Respectfully disagree | A and B respectively |
The exceptions
The team played well, respectively means nothing — there is no second list to match. Writers sometimes use it as a synonym for accordingly, which it is not.
If the pairing is obvious, the word can often be dropped entirely.
Respectably means in a way that earns respect: she finished respectably in fourth. Three words, three jobs.
Where people get it wrong
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I respectively disagree. | I respectfully disagree. | With respect. |
| They finished first and third respectfully. | They finished first and third respectively. | Matching the order. |
| He behaved respectively towards her. | He behaved respectfully towards her. | Politely. |
| The costs were high, respectively. | The costs were high accordingly. | There is no second list. |
Practice — choose the right word, then check yourself.
- The awards went to Mia and Tom, aged 9 and 11 ___.
- She ___ asked for more time.
- They speak French and German ___.
- The letter closed with “___ yours”.
- He played ___ well for a beginner.
Show the answers
1. respectively 2. respectfully 3. respectively 4. Respectfully 5. respectably
Frequently asked
Which is the more common error?
Respectively for respectfully in polite disagreement. The full test fixes it.
Can I just drop respectively?
Often yes. Ana is 12 and Luis is 14 says the same thing more plainly.
More words people confuse
