actively
Americanadverb
-
in a way that involves deliberate and vigorous engagement or effort.
Our search for your missing son has not slowed and there are important leads being actively pursued even at this moment.
Latin America is here—actively present in U.S. history, culture, and politics.
-
with a high degree of volume, use, participation, etc..
Crude oil is the world's most actively traded commodity.
-
in a way that is operative or effective at the time; currently.
On any given day, roughly 20 volcanoes are actively erupting.
Well over a million people are actively subscribed and learning languages with the app worldwide.
-
in a way that involves physical exercise or movement.
Every volunteer role at the day center is helpful in enabling seniors to live actively, independently, and with dignity.
-
Grammar. in or by means of the active voice, where the subject of the verb is also the doer of the action.
Anything expressed with a passive verb could also be expressed actively, so the choice of one over the other is often for stylistic effect.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of actively
Explanation
Anything described by the adverb actively is happening right now or because of a conscious effort, or a little of both. You probably won’t find a job unless you’re actively looking. If you’re actively doing something, you’re involved in it now. People who actively look for a fight usually find one. If the President is actively involved in peace talks, he’s getting involved in them personally. If you’ve written a perfect sonnet, it’s not going to get published until you actively try to find a place for it. The opposite of actively is passively.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This looked like a humiliation ritual to me: Crowley wasn’t polling competitively even when he was actively campaigning, and it seemed unlikely that his brand could be rehabilitated with such little time left.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
On the eve of the election, Zambia's Human Rights Commission said it was "actively monitoring arrests and detentions involving political candidates, supporters, journalists and other actors".
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Officials are actively investigating the identity of the remains, and the cause death will be determined by the county medical examiner’s office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
In the late 1970s, football clubs were actively searching for new revenue streams, but there had been resistance to front-of-shirt sponsorship - especially from TV companies who argued that it amounted to free advertising.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Essentially, this means that no military forces will actively defend it.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
