smoothly

smoothly — adverb

1. happening or progressing in a way that has no problems, delays, or unexpected st

1.adverbB1
Definition

happening or progressing in a way that has no problems, delays, or unexpected stops.

Example

The wedding rehearsal went smoothly, with every guest arriving on time.

go + smoothly (process succeeds without problems)

Amelia transferred smoothly from one university programme to another.

transfer smoothly

Common collocations
  • go smoothly
  • run smoothly
  • work smoothly
  • flow smoothly
  • progress smoothly
  • proceed smoothly
Synonyms
  • effortlessly

    emphasizes that no hard work was needed

  • seamlessly

    stresses that transitions or connections were invisible and natural

  • without a hitch

    informal phrase meaning with no problems at all

Antonyms
  • roughly

    suggests many problems and interruptions

Usage Note

Commonly paired with verbs describing processes or operations: go, run, work, flow, progress, proceed.

Common Mistakes

The project went smooth.
The project went smoothly.
'smooth' is an adjective; an adverb is needed after verbs like go, run, and work.

2. moving, changing, or operating in a steady, even way, without sudden stops, star

2.adverbB2
Definition

moving, changing, or operating in a steady, even way, without sudden stops, starts, or shifts.

Example

Adina shifted smoothly from first to second gear as she drove up the hill.

shift smoothly

The dancer turned smoothly on one foot and held her final pose.

turn smoothly

Common collocations
  • move smoothly
  • run smoothly
  • glide smoothly
  • shift smoothly
  • turn smoothly
Synonyms
  • steadily

    focuses on consistent, controlled motion

  • fluidly

    suggests movement that resembles the flowing of a liquid

  • evenly

    stresses that the pace or surface does not change

Antonyms
  • jerkily

    with sudden, uncontrolled movements

  • abruptly

    in a way that changes suddenly and roughly

Usage Note

Describes physical motion — driving, dancing, writing, or the movement of vehicles and objects. Unlike sense 1, this sense focuses on the quality of movement, not on the absence of problems.

Common Mistakes

The car drove smooth on the highway.
The car drove smoothly on the highway.
An adverb is needed to describe how the car drove.

3. behaving or speaking in a calm, assured way that avoids causing offence or confl

3.adverbC1
Definition

behaving or speaking in a calm, assured way that avoids causing offence or conflict, especially in a difficult social situation.

Example

Rania handled the awkward question smoothly by changing the subject.

handle + awkward question smoothly

The manager dealt smoothly with the customer's angry complaint.

deal smoothly with [person / situation]

Common collocations
  • handle smoothly
  • deal smoothly with
  • navigate smoothly
Synonyms
  • diplomatically

    emphasises tact and sensitivity to others' feelings

  • tactfully

    stresses saying the right thing without causing offence

Antonyms
  • clumsily

    in an awkward way that causes embarrassment or offence

Usage Note

Typically describes how someone manages a social situation or conversation, not physical movement. Distinguish from sense 2: here the focus is on social skill, not the quality of motion.

Common Mistakes

He smooth handled the complaint.
He handled the complaint smoothly.
'smooth' cannot replace the adverb 'smoothly' after a verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Smoothly is the most general term for describing a process that has no obvious problems. Seamlessly adds the idea that different parts connect so well that the join is invisible — often used for transitions, integrations, or collaborations (e.g., "the two teams worked seamlessly"). Effortlessly shifts focus to the lack of effort, suggesting the task was easy for the person doing it (e.g., "she effortlessly completed the assignment"). Without a hitch is an informal phrase that means 'with zero problems' and is typically used for planned events (e.g., "the concert went off without a hitch"). Choose smoothly for everyday descriptions of progress, seamlessly when highlighting perfect integration, effortlessly when emphasising ease, and without a hitch for informal contexts about events.

smoothly ↗seamlesslyeffortlessly ↗without a hitch

Common collocations

Phrases

  • go smoothly
  • run smoothly
  • work smoothly
  • flow smoothly
  • progress smoothly

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Smoothly comes from the adjective smooth, which traces back to Old English smōth, meaning 'having an even surface.' The -ly suffix was added to form the adverb. The word originally described physical texture or movement but gradually extended to refer to processes, social interactions, and operations, following a common pattern where physical words gain abstract meanings.