monotonically

American  

[mon-uh-ton-ik-lee] / ˌmɒn əˈtɒn ɪk li /

adverb

1. in a monotone; without varying the pitch or expression of one’s voice.

   A bubbly “So I had the job interview!” conveys one thing, while the same words said monotonically and hesitantly convey the opposite.

2. Mathematics. (of a function or sequence) in such a way as to generate progressively higher or lower values consistently, with no reversal.

   Show that x3 – 3x2 + 3x + 2 is monotonically increasing in every interval.

---

Etymology

Origin of monotonically

monotonic ( def. ) + -ally ( def. )

Example Sentences

“The simplest message is sleep deprivation is bad, but that doesn’t mean that sleep is monotonically good,” he said.

From New York Times • Jun. 24, 2022

“Please open your system preferences and click on the lock icon,” the proctor said monotonically.

From The Verge • Apr. 29, 2020

Food intake predicts body mass index according to a monotonically increasing relation.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker