✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Learn More!
✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary — Learn More!

wisely

adverb

wise·​ly
sometimes -er/-est
Synonyms of wiselynext
: in a wise manner : discerningly, prudently

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English wīslīce, from wīs wise + -līce -ly

The Ultimate Dictionary Awaits

Expand your vocabulary and dive deeper into language with Merriam-Webster Unabridged.

  1. Expanded definitions
  2. Detailed etymologies
  3. Advanced search tools
  4. All ad-free

Discover what makes Merriam-Webster Unabridged the essential choice for true word lovers.

Start Your Free Trial Now

Rhymes for wisely

See All Rhymes for wisely

Browse Nearby Words

wiseling
wisely
wise man
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wisely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wisely. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on wisely

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for wisely

Nglish: Translation of wisely for Spanish Speakers

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Buck Naked' or 'Butt Naked'?

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ten Kinds of Happiness

Words That Turned 100 in 2025

The Words of the Week - Dec. 26

17 Words for Dog Breeds

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular

See More

'Buck Naked' or 'Butt Naked'?

Ten Kinds of Happiness

Words That Turned 100 in 2025
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thank-you-different-languages
Dutch, Yiddish, Japanese, or Hindi? Quiz Guess the language these English words come from.
See All