solemnly
To do something solemnly is to do it in a grave and earnest manner. While you might wear black to both a funeral and an art opening, it’s appropriate to behave more solemnly at the funeral.
Solemnly carries a sense of seriousness and dignity. If you're a witness in court, you'll be asked, "Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" This would not be the time to bust out your clown nose. There are other scenarios where it’s appropriate to behave solemnly, like at a religious ceremony or at the bedside of an ill relative, but try not to act that way at a kid's birthday party.
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in a grave and sedate manner“the judge sat there solemnly”
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Vocabulary lists containing solemnly
This dramatic adaptation of the diary of a young Jewish girl hiding from the Nazis won both a Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize.
Be careful what you wish for! In this horror story, a cursed monkey's paw delivers three wishes to its owners — but each of its gifts comes with a terrible price. Read the full text here.
Sojourner Truth's speech at the 1851 Women's Rights Convention in Ohio asked a question that could not be denied in order to draw attention to the humanity, abilities, thus rights, of both women and slaves. The overall tone was passionate and provocative. In a version published in an 1863 issue of the Anti-Slavery Standard, the presiding officer of the convention Frances Dana Gage quoted the speech within her descriptions of the setting, audience, and speaker. Read the full text here.