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Synonyms

roundly

American  
[round-lee] / ˈraʊnd li /

adverb

  1. in a round manner.

  2. vigorously or briskly.

  3. outspokenly, severely, or unsparingly.

  4. completely or fully.

  5. in round numbers or in a vague or general way.

roundly British  
/ ˈraʊndlɪ /

adverb

  1. frankly, bluntly, or thoroughly

    to be roundly criticized

  2. in a round manner or so as to be round

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of roundly

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; round 1, -ly

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.

Although lower courts roundly rejected these claims, the Supreme Court appeared to buy them.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026

But instead of being applauded for my effort, I was roundly shamed by my friends.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

She told MSPs: "I have had no involvement in this case and any suggestion that I am corrupt or my position is compromised I roundly reject."

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

During the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, for example, which opened 17 months after the American-led invasion of Iraq, the U.S. team was roundly booed.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

I fanned my face a little faster and resisted the urge to smack these blithering cretins roundly on their hot heads.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

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.