safely

[seyf-lee]

adverb

1. without harm or injury.

   The travel team has arrived safely and on schedule.

2. without risk or danger.

   While we sit safely in our air-conditioned homes complaining, he’s driving across the country working for change.

3. in a way that protects from loss, damage, or harm.

   I wanted that piece of paper safely filed away, just in case I needed to look at it again.

4. without likelihood of being wrong; with reasonable assurance.

   I think we can safely say that the zoo expects some puma kittens later this year!

Other Word Forms

• quasi-safely adverb
• supersafely adverb
• unsafely adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of safely¹

safe + -ly

Example Sentences

The Navy said the exercise was handled safely, but the incident alarmed Navy personnel, who said in a routine follow-up report that company representatives had misguided the military.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In autophagy, damaged or unnecessary proteins are enclosed in small membrane-bound vesicles and then broken down safely by enzymes, effectively recycling cellular components.

Read more on Science Daily

"If we can safely boost this natural power-sharing system, it could one day help slow or even reverse some effects of cellular aging."

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"What is the point of living in a city where my daughter can't even breathe safely?" she asks.

Read more on BBC

Unfortunately, the same biological traits that cause autoimmune diabetes in these mice also make them harder to prepare safely for a blood stem cell transplant.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• carefully 
• cautiously 
• harmlessly www.thesaurus.com